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I Covers the key areas of sales management, from techniques

for managing sales people at a distance to sales planning, and from assembling a top-flight team to staying market-focused
I Examples and lessons from benchmark companies in hotel

management, financial services and pharmaceuticals
I Includes a glossary of key concepts and a comprehensive

resources guide

Copyright  Capstone Publishing 2002 The right of Patrick Forsyth to be identiﬁed as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 First published 2002 by Capstone Publishing (a Wiley company) 8 Newtec Place Magdalen Road Oxford OX4 1RE United Kingdom http://www.capstoneideas.com All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, including uploading, downloading, printing, recording or otherwise, except as permitted under the fair dealing provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of a license issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1P 9HE, UK, without the permission in writing of the Publisher. Requests to the Publisher should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, Bafﬁns Lane, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1UD, UK or e-mailed to permreq@wiley.co.uk or faxed to (+44) 1243 770571. CIP catalogue records for this book are available from the British Library and the US Library of Congress ISBN 1-84112-261-0 This title is also available in print as ISBN 1-84112-193-2 Substantial discounts on bulk quantities of ExpressExec books are available to corporations, professional associations and other organizations. Please contact Capstone for more details on +44 (0)1865 798 623 or (fax) +44 (0)1865 240 941 or (e-mail) info@wiley-capstone.co.uk

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. a monthly newsletter and interactive skills checklists.com Website you will discover that you can access the complete resource in a number of ways: » printed books or e-books. ExpressExec enables you to grasp the key concepts behind each subject and implement the theory immediately. » e-content – PDF or XML (for licensed syndication) adding value to an intranet or Internet site. » a corporate e-learning/knowledge management solution providing a cost-effective platform for developing skills and sharing knowledge within an organization. From brand management to balanced scorecard.com and register for free key management brieﬁngs. Each of the 100 titles is available in print and electronic formats. Through the ExpressExec.expressexec. Please contact elound@wiley-capstone.Introduction to ExpressExec
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01
. » A special form of management » Key approaches to sales management
04.Introduction
Is sales management different from other kinds of management? Chapter 1 says that it is and identiﬁes some of the ways in which it is special.10.

and selling and the sales force. is inherently a part of the marketing mix. » Geography: sales people must work away from base. without supervision.’’ Robert Kreigel and David Brant
A SPECIAL FORM OF MANAGEMENT Sales. Surprise them. Apart from the isolation referred to above. . and probably more time consuming than with staff in the ofﬁce. Give them something they don’t expect. this means that applying management to them is inherently more difﬁcult. and can directly inﬂuence results. So don’t satisfy customers. Sales managers and store managers everywhere are imploring their people to put the customer ﬁrst. satisfy the customer is a sacred cow. everyone does that. one that must be constantly ﬁne-tuned if it is to do the desired job satisfactorily. » The nature of the task: selling is a social skill. . Customer attrition can dilute such skills and management must act regularly to prompt sales people to maximize their approach in whatever way prevailing market conditions make necessary. In sales there are a number of particular factors that make it especially so. » Isolation: sales people must work predominantly on their own and there is a possibility that. In the new world of commerce. sometimes far away.2
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‘‘In this business environment. satisfying is only the beginning . they become disassociated from the overall marketing effort and that their activity is therefore incomplete. Even most car dealers are doing that. It also means that the efforts of sales staff must be properly coordinated and therefore well managed: sales management is therefore important. But they’re only playing catch up. That means that those people undertaking the sales task must be professional: able to communicate persuasively and create the necessary relationship with customers.
. It must be deployed appropriately if it is to play its part and have a signiﬁcant effect on the whole. The management of any group of staff is important if they are to perform well.

in the sense of the ‘‘policing’’ role of management: checking and making sure things are done. So too the relationship between sales people and sales manager should be a constructive one and viewed as such by both sides. service and other factors. » Competition: competition (including global competition) seems to increase all the time. This is a vital factor in marketing success. Because of these factors the quality of selling itself can literally be a differentiating factor. with the increasing power of large customers and the e-sales routes now possible in many industries). It is. buying processes and responsibilities change and pressure on time means buyers may want less personal relationships with suppliers. one that enhances the ongoing sales activity and ensures it achieves everything possible.INTRODUCTION
3
KEY APPROACHES TO SALES MANAGEMENT Sales management is not simply a supervisory process. or should be. giving any organization that maximizes its effectiveness an edge over competition. that is. Customers not only have considerable choice in almost any industry and product area one cares to mention. There is a direct impact here on the sales job. a creative role. distribution patterns are ever changing (e. There has come to be a powerful commodity aspect to many markets. In other words it is not enough to be able to describe products and services effectively. For example: customers are increasingly demanding and ﬁckle. price. This means that sales people have a three-tier job to do. They must: » communicate (clearly and appropriately) » be persuasive » differentiate. » Change and complexity: the markets of the twenty-ﬁrst century are nothing if not dynamic. they have choices that are very close in performance.g. The manager or managers who head up the sales
. Two other factors are of key importance. nor even to do so persuasively – always there is the added dimension of ensuring something is described in a way that makes it more desirable than other similar products on the market.

have a vital task. and who work to make it effective. It is a complex job.4
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function.
. and one that in future will tend to get more complex as the trends described here progress. is a must. creatively making the sales activity work well is a challenge. For sales management. for the organization an effective sales management function. now and in the future.

10. » A management responsibility » A fragile process » Searching for an ‘‘edge’’
04. in which its role is signiﬁcant. Chapter 2 looks at some of the ways.What is Sales Management?
Sales management is a part of strategic marketing.02
. large and small.

Most do – to one extent or another.’’ Yet there should be no confusion. inspire and motivate teams of people who. promotion or any other. are surely long gone. These are. underrated and with other more glamorous techniques claiming more than their fair share of the limelight. dedication and relevance to the needs of tomorrow. Selling. there are still sometimes questions asked about the ‘‘difference between sales and marketing. speed of reaction. and hence achieving. the required sales results. Sales people must be able to deploy such techniques effectively and if they are up against a competitor that can do so better – more appropriately in whatever way – they may well lose out. will ensure that their business gets in front and stays there. and the sales people who carry it out. Certainly sales training is now much more likely to be used than was once the case. important. Much of this concern is with the techniques of selling. by their creativity. That is not to say that large numbers of organizations do not pay any regard to selling. In addressing sales management – what the sales manager must do and why – it is worth noting that in some organizations the sales function can be something of a neglected area. Speciﬁcally looking at the sales resource from a broader perspective
. lead. Heinemann) Despite the now long currency of the word marketing. it is the function – or person – responsible for creating and maintaining a suitable sales activity through management and supervision of the sales team (most usually the ﬁeld sales team. Only through such an attitude can an organization look to thrive and prosper. However. a broader view of selling must be taken if the overall effectiveness of the sales resource is to be maximized successfully. or indeed advertising.6
SALES MANAGEMENT
‘‘The joy of businessmen and women is to win – to create. rather than other categories of sales job). The days when marketing was regularly used as a euphemism for selling.’’ John Harvey-Jones (All together now. and there is a general acceptance of the need for excellence in selling as in so many other business and management techniques. And. through them. are as inherently part of the individual techniques of marketing as is public relations. to deﬁne sales management. of course.

And its doing so will not just happen. to company image. Market change In recent years markets have been nothing if not volatile. Above all it needs regular ﬁne-tuning if it is to act continuously to achieve planned results in the marketplace. marketing manager. Everywhere all aspects of marketing are having to work harder if an organization is to hold on to. They have had to react within their own
. A MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY It is an old saying that selling is too important to leave to the sales team. It needs organizing. It is said that sustainable competitive advantage comes only from innovation. markets. Any success the team may achieve is certainly dependent on the way the organization – and thus whatever managers this necessitates (the sales manager. and develop. In many ways their likelihood of success is dependent on a wide range of things from quality of product or service. Furthermore. This has compounded increasing competitiveness. product development – and that of sales is no exception. and do so with some certainty. The sales resource must play an appropriate part in whatever overall marketing mix an organization decides to use (something that may well vary over time). one of the most pertinent changes of recent times has been with customers. A FRAGILE PROCESS Three other factors make this overall view of the sales resource vital.WHAT IS SALES MANAGEMENT?
7
means viewing it as essentially a marketing technique – one that needs to be regarded as a variable like any other. We are in times when innovation is needed in many aspects of a company’s operation: organization. technical support and after sales service and customer care. And on how they use it innovatively to create not just an efﬁcient ﬁnal link with the market but make sales an asset that can gain real competitive advantage in markets that are doubtless also targeted by competitors. but such is an international fact of life. It needs planning. general manager in a smaller business or others) – views the sales resource.

changed circumstances. Not least. they want to deal with professional people representing a professional ﬁrm. Customers are demanding. To do this requires more than ‘‘going through the motions. In one recent project. The sales resource must be organized and must operate in a way that deals with the new realities. ﬁckle and need to be treated in just the right way. and adapt to. and their attitudes to suppliers have changed markedly with any economic difﬁculty. Faced with any shortfall in their requirements they have absolutely no compunction about voting with their feet and going elsewhere. the personal experience of the author. Success on one occasion does not guarantee that people will buy again. EXAMPLE Some of my work is in the hotel industry. In addition. All this is not a momentary circumstance.8
SALES MANAGEMENT
organizations to protect and secure their future. All organizations must all live with. the technical standards they want and they seek suppliers who can provide prompt and well matched answers to the problems of opportunities that initiate their purchase of anything – product or service.’’ it means every detail of the process must be thought through and implemented in a way that creates the required edge. The best way to explain this is perhaps through an example. Any lingering belief that ‘‘it will all be easier when things get back to normal’’ must be ruled out. buyer loyalty is less than in the past. Attention to detail In terms of detail. Realistically circumstances are simply not likely to return to those of more straightforward or less competitive times. response and communications throughout the relationship. prevailing standards often leave something to be desired. The expectations of customers is now better deﬁned than ever before: they know the service they want. And they want efﬁcient support. that shows how such details can be missed or dealt with incompletely or ineffectively. talking with a sales team about the sale of meeting and conference facilities (a major area of business for many properties) I touched
.

Clearly if a number of such factors are similarly diluted in effectiveness. all of them. These – presumably because the hotel was not yet operating at the time they were originated – showed only empty rooms. it would have cost some money. then a real disadvantage is created. Beyond that kind of detail other more innovative factors may be added that also create an edge (even a strengthening is worthwhile) for those doing the selling. a banquet or a wedding is shown into an empty room. who are very likely to check out more than one venue. Such may either be an individual initiative. as is often the way. But the alternative was that many of their prospects. albeit one that is hardly novel in the industry mentioned. Quite simply. rather it is to show how such situations create marketing opportunities. it is precisely such things that can make the difference between getting agreement or not. So.WHAT IS SALES MANAGEMENT?
9
on the use of photographs as a simple kind of sales aid. if a prospective customer seeking a venue for a training course. They must imagine it laid out in just the way that will make their unique function a success. The above example may seem to focus on an insigniﬁcant detail. Realistically it is not a degree of imagination to be assumed. though not too much. The reason for mentioning such an example as this is not to bemoan current standards in the hotel or any other industry. hardly a spur to the customers’ imagination (and not so uncommon in the industry). After all. will ﬁnd this particular aspect of the sale more impressive elsewhere. all the time. those who get such details right. then it is asking a good deal of them. Yet a suggestion that some money should be spent creating a small portfolio of new shots was rejected by the Sales Director with immediate concern for the budget. will do best. Innovation The example above focuses on an important detail. All that was available was brochures produced a few years before. In a competitive business ignoring this kind of detail is simply to risk letting business go by default. This was in a ﬁve-star and well-known hotel. and just before the hotel ﬁrst opened. Not so. one that is the idea of an individual
.

Again the example box below illustrates this further.
. possession is nine points of the law and he had set a precedent – you cannot have too many coffee breaks in the same morning and competitors found it difﬁcult to deal with the situation in a way that was as productive for them. may lead to the other. by appointment. He would arrive. It was a scheme that worked well for all concerned. One.10
SALES MANAGEMENT
sales person. He had persuaded his customer to allow him to convene an impromptu coffee break: a group of the staff gathered round and he had their undivided attention for 15–20 minutes. In a large outlet he would repeat this twice. Not just the manager of such establishments – but all their staff who have customer contact and who might inﬂuence their customers’ choice. to accommodate all the staff yet prevent their service to customers from being decimated. of course. In this organization one particular salesman had evolved a wellproven approach to deal with this in major outlets in which the number of such people were greatest. It worked well because it took into account the needs of the customer and did not seek simply to get done what the sales side wanted. or more. A common problem in this industry is the need to brief and update travel agents. It was also not easy to copy. and with a tray of coffee and doughnuts bought at a nearby shop. If such an idea suits even a small number of customers it is worthwhile (and other solutions must be sought with others). though such initiatives must be appropriate to the individual customer and may not be suitable for use slavishly with every contact (a thought we return to later). This seems like precisely the sort of good thinking that should be endemic around a sales operation.
EXAMPLE Here we look at a sales situation observed in a major international airline. or something that is adopted by management for use throughout the team.

Certainly there are many opportunities to strengthen sales activity and ensure that the sales resource plays its full part as a major component of the marketing mix.1
. SEARCHING FOR AN ‘‘EDGE’’ Whatever aspect of the sales process one considers. The key sales management tasks are normally deﬁned as: » » » » » » Planning Organizing Stafﬁng Developing Motivating Controlling
The classic deﬁnition of management – getting things done through other people – underpins this and the objectives towards which this is applied are the achievement of speciﬁc. Yet there is no reason for this. In many commercial environments marketing can be seen as somehow ‘‘better’’ or more sophisticated than sales. it may potentially yield to an examination aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the process. detailed targets such as the product mix required and overall organizational measures such as return on sales and ultimately return on capital employed. Against this background any organization must be clear what they want to achieve through sales. and within that. Figure 2. measurable largely economic factors: sales revenue and proﬁt. unless this is too strong a word. The process is cumulative and. inﬁnite.WHAT IS SALES MANAGEMENT?
11
This is certainly the sort of idea that can be developed by one person and then the experience can be circulated so that others in the organization can try it too. sales is a vital part of the marketing mix and one that is just as likely to provide opportunities to steal a march on competitors and impress prospects and customers alike as is attention to any other technique. As such it deserves the same degree of attention and creative thought lavished on other aspects of the marketing mix. and similarly any sales manager must be clear what tasks they must focus on both tactically and strategically. If so the resultant success rate will be just a little better.

12
SALES MANAGEMENT
Objectives
Strategy
Appraisal Plans
Organization
Field development
Results analysis
Action
Job definition
Cause analysis
Control
Recruitment and selection
Initial training
Fig. 2.
shows in graphic form the way sales management responsibilities must be exercised and the way different tasks relate (the detail of what must be done here is investigated in Chapter 6).1
Sales management long-/short-term tasks and responsibilities. Successful sales management will:
. SUMMARY The deﬁnition of sales management and the individual interpretation of what needs to be done are crucial to sales success.

» constantly keep abreast of market changes and customer expectations.WHAT IS SALES MANAGEMENT?
13
» always rate sales as a key marketing variable. and » always take a creative approach: recognizing that sales management is not there just to keep things operating efﬁciently. but to decide what constitutes efﬁcient operation at any particular time. » never underestimate the difference it can make to team performance. » comprehensively deﬁne the sales job to be done. They know that change is the norm.
. matching operational practice to the real world accordingly. and work at ensuring that the detail that makes for sales excellence is addressed effectively and consistently.

03
. » Management in the round » Sales management » The last ten years
04.Evolution of Sales Management
Management is an ancient art.10. Chapter 3 comments and looks at the roots and development of modern sales management.

indeed its study became both more formal. 1959 Though Harvard Business School in Cambridge Massachusetts had been in existence since early in the century. 1954 This year saw the publication of what many people would regard as the original ‘‘guru’’ guide to management: The Practice of Management by Peter Drucker (though there have been plenty more since). and Britain lagged behind with both the London and Manchester Business Schools opening in 1965. I make sure people know what they are doing and then see that they do it. at least as a formal process worthy of study. MANAGEMENT IN THE ROUND Yet. It is not an unreasonable inference to suggest that many things before and since can be similarly regarded. canals and civilization itself would not exist. is much more modern: it is a twentieth-century concern. 1965 From the sixties onwards management was increasingly a source of focus. business schools only came to Europe in this year when INSEAD opened.16
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‘‘There is no magic in management. without a degree of management cathedrals. Consider some dates. Others – transactional analysis (TA) – utilized
. and increasingly also a matter of fad and fashion with a new ‘‘magic’’ technique seemingly arriving every week promising to be the ultimate panacea for success. And it is only late in the century that we ﬁnd it becoming a matter of serious focus. Modern remnants of projects such as the building of the pyramids provide ample evidence of management in action. Some – management by objectives (MBO) – effectively formalized common sense.’’ Bob Scholey. perhaps curiously. management. Chairman of British Steel Management as a generic activity has a long history.

MBWA – management by walking about). that is it is something that changes over time with what is ‘‘right’’ being only a question of what works. It should be accepted by all. management was something that needed a considered approach and that a multitude of management techniques assisted its practice. as is the need to go about it in the right kind of way. however.g. Certainly now as we head into the twenty-ﬁrst century. The process continues. A few can. Whenever there have been teams of sales people they have needed some form
.EVOLUTION OF SALES MANAGEMENT
17
psychology in the cause of management. articles and a whole new consideration of the practical ‘‘best ways forward’’ that followed.’’ This is certainly the case with a specialized form of management such as sales management. consist of a prescribed list of unfailingly ‘‘correct’’ methods and techniques. And deciding what that is exactly needs care and judgment. The study of management-matters is. 1982 The book In Search of Excellence (Tom Peters and Robert Waterman) was not only a best seller and the purveyor of sound advice (and more acronyms. things have quietened down in the sense that management is well accepted as necessary. Supposed ‘‘magic formulae’’ are treated with more skepticism. that management does not. today and in a particular context. By this time there was a general feeling that if not exactly a science. e. Remember the view of H. and never will. Some are long forgotten. for example the following. though all perhaps helped focus peoples’ minds and contributed to consideration of what did work best.L. be viewed as milestones. plausible – and wrong. predominantly practically based. SALES MANAGEMENT The evolution of the sales management role is not complicated. looking back. or viewed merely as useful – a way of prompting investigation and thought. Mencken who said ‘‘There is always a well-known solution to every human problem – neat. but also a spur to the many more books. Rather it is time-dependent. these days.

we begin with the observation of major inﬂuences that operated over longer time periods. however. The chronology here is not of itself important (and is in some instances not intended to be precise). whose initial efforts were directed at the motor car industry (and safety issues) but which spread to many other
. industry was left at a low ebb. after the privations of the war. 1945 With the end of the Second World War. if they could be made then. they could be easily sold.18
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of direction. and others concerned. particularly that advertising inﬂuenced them in ways they did not realize (or at least that they should be aware of the ‘‘hard sell’’ directed at them from all parts of the marketing mix – including selling). 1955–1965 Gradually production orientation gave way to one of marketing. Making things was more important than selling them. This was perhaps the evangelical period for marketing. 1963 This year saw the publication of Vance Packard’s seminal book The Hidden Persuaders. a message to consumers everywhere that they were being exploited. The period thereafter was one of recovery in which a production orientation was pre-eminent. Starting in the mid-twentieth century. Also becoming active at this time was the American consumer champion Ralph Nader. The prime reason for dwelling on this is that as times continue to be dynamic it is important for sales managers. it became important to ensure that what was being made would appeal to customers and that it could be sold. a time when managers were recognizing and learning to take a market view. There are. circumstances and events that have inﬂuenced the way it is regarded and the way it operates. to recognize changes that may have operational implications and to resolve to spot them early and act on them. it does however put other comments in perspective.

There was a parallel focus on the psychology of selling being developed at this time. During this period. with initiatives such as research done by David Mayer and Herbert Greenberg (e. It had little in common with the dense textbook style of much previous management writing. management and marketing training expanded (aided in the United Kingdom by the way in which the Industrial Training Act of 1964 promoted training). or with the voluminous nature of the previous ‘‘bible’’ – US Dartnell Publishing’s Sales Managers’ Handbook. 1970 During this year Mike Wilson’s book Managing a Sales Force (Gower) was published.
. What makes a good Salesman? Harvard Business Review July/August 1964) who brought the terms empathy and ego drive into considerations of selling. Alongside the development of training. and produce an edge in the marketplace. From this time onwards sales management was recognized as a signiﬁcant marketing component in its own right. more and more began to be published about management. 1965–1975 As competition intensiﬁed marketing moved into a technique period. These kinds of early inﬂuence have led to others and it is from all this that selling has had to deal with increasingly well-informed customers. charts and examples – it was seminal and provided a blueprint for successful operation (and also helped change the style of management books generally thereafter). The current edition of this book still provides a prime reference. packed with forms. This was the most successful – and the best – of the new-style books about sales management. Its practical format was wholly accessible. Sales management was one of many marketing techniques that were viewed more and more professionally during these years as people strived to ﬁnd what worked best. and in an increasingly accessible how-to style.g. Managers were under no illusions: they recognized that a professional approach was necessary to everything that would address competition.EVOLUTION OF SALES MANAGEMENT
19
areas.

The world of selling was suddenly full of people with titles such as Major Account Manager and Key Account Executive and sales management had to organize more diverse sales teams in the recognition that different customers needed differing sales approaches. (These are now ubiquitous in many industries and were pioneered in some such as banking. which not only became a successful product (courses. This is a trade marked term: Huthwaite International’s research-based approach to sales training. led directly on to the call centers of today. Similarly inﬂationary pressures in many markets also began to exert a pressure for change that reduced or controlled costs involved in sales forces and the way they were organized and managed. but was instrumental in getting selling taken much more seriously as an inﬂuential element in promoting marketing success. Indeed customers took action to put power into their buying – for example forming the buying groups that are now common in many industries.20
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Mid 1970s This was the starting point of SPIN. selling – for long regarded as something ‘‘to do to people’’ – gradually began to be practiced in a way that more closely reﬂected customer needs. Customers no longer formed one group – larger and smaller customers began to be regarded as being different in nature as well as size. the increased cost of keeping ﬁeld sales people on the road led directly to experiments that resulted in the successful development of telephone selling – a development that.) THE LAST TEN YEARS Like so much else in business and management the IT (information technology) revolution has had a considerable effect on selling and
. The spin (sic) this put on serious thinking about sales and sales management was important. in turn. Mid/late 1970s and beyond A market trend began around this time that was to change sales management for evermore. though much of the original premise here reﬂected what others already thought of as common-sense approaches. packages and books are now available around the world). For example.

Systems are worth checking out. » Information has changed radically also. precise and instantly transferable. in some respect. it is fast. Speed. Underestimating the knowledge or ability of buyers is now not just unwise. it can be fatal. This is. precision and detail are the order of the day and saying: ‘‘I’ll check with the ofﬁce and get back to you’’ may be regarded as prohibitively old-fashioned and slow. » The electronic revolution has changed a great deal about the way people do business. then the right person in the Singapore ofﬁce can be on the telephone to them without delay – and with all the facts and ﬁgures they would expect at their ﬁngertips. and more speciﬁcally trained. The speed of transactions has increased dramatically – sales people can check details for a buyer from a mobile computer as their discussions proceed. Their data collection role is important. better informed (and this is increasing as buyers make use of the Internet and other developments to help with pre-purchase research). and mean that sales people can operate from a base of much more precise. up to date
. And. customer details. competitive intelligence and more. it is entered into some sort of electronic data collection system and is available instantly to sales management making decisions. systematic and comprehensive. Tactical changes should be easier. The e-dimension).EVOLUTION OF SALES MANAGEMENT
21
sales management (see Chapter 4. no more than the process good sales people used years ago – but it is formalized. Sales people must ﬁle much data: sales. Sales people have to deal with organizations in which the computerized stock control system has replaced ‘‘the buyer’’ to some degree and meetings are harder to get. This means they are better. » Buyers are increasingly professional. travels. for instance. Here we limit examples to two main areas. Some developments linked more than one of these factors. For the most part this is no longer ﬁlled in on forms and posted to the ofﬁce. And it does things previously impossible. If a customer in London refers a sales person to their opposite number in Singapore. It handles the basics: reminding a sales person to renew a contact. in electronic form. The concept of Major Customers and the availability of electronic systems have given rise to new techniques of CRM – Customer Relationship Management.

22

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and comprehensive information than was the case in the past. They can be customized (indeed you should never even contemplate using something that does not match your customer situation). Essentially the changes here relate as much to selling as to sales management. Sales management is, as you would expect, inﬂuenced by the people they manage, their role, the circumstances prevailing within the organization and outside it in the market. And, if you want to nail it to one thing, then that is the fact that sales management, like selling, must be customer focused to be successful. Postscript Two other changes are worth noting. Both are difﬁcult to date as they have crept up on us. One is certainly signiﬁcant: staff expectations of management have changed. It must be much more consultative than was the case years ago, managers must ﬁnd a way of dealing with people that is both acceptable and effective. It may also be wise to keep a wary eye on such factors as employment legislation. Many would say that managing people has become more time consuming. Perhaps. If so, then the response is surely to intensify the focus on key issues and ensure that new tasks are given priority. The second change is perhaps more frivolous. In this politically correct world, the word salesman (which used to deﬁne ﬁeld sales personnel as opposed to those in other sorts of sales position) has become unacceptable. Salesperson is the order of the day – even if it seems to encompass people as diverse as the shop assistant and the major account manager – thus bringing ﬁeld sales person into the vocabulary. It does illustrate in yet another way the need for everyone to keep up with changes of all sorts! SUMMARY The moral for today’s sales managers is clear. » Focus on three levels: your job, the sales team’s job and the customers’ expectations. » Watch for change: there is no one right way of managing in this area, much less one that will be correct, as is, for ever.

EVOLUTION OF SALES MANAGEMENT

23

» Link what is operationally possible and necessary to the organization’s objectives and goals: the activity of the sales team is a means to an end – how it must be prompted to go about its job depends on the objectives and the market. So sales management solutions must be practical for the team and the organization and yet always create acceptance and satisfaction with customers, on whom all marketing success ultimately depends.

The E-Dimension
IT affects every nook and cranny of business. Chapter 4 shows that sales management is no exception. » Some dangers » Opportunities » Best practice

04.10.04

Here we touch on key factors and some of the ways in which these affect the job of keeping a ﬁeld sales team functioning effectively. At a supermarket checkout the till rings up the money for the customer but it also records the resulting stock level. to analyze past records of bookings. sales management and sales consist primarily of personal interactions. using probability analysis. At a particular point the computer initiates a new order to the supplier and further supplies are delivered. and what technology does for them may actively make life more difﬁcult for you.
. later. Much of the process in between may be automatic. Bantam Press) makes a point. An example given in the book Wired Life (Charles Jonscher. What’s the reaction? Someone might say ‘‘our computer buys your product ’’ and a meeting is declined. There are already many implications and doubtless more to come. it’s obsolete. applied statistics and econometrics. They are as affected by the march of technology as you are. SOME DANGERS Taking certain negative factors ﬁrst. Then. » Customer ordering systems are now often automated. The sales person has a list of things they want to discuss: product positioning. Two examples illustrate. a sales person is on the supermarket’s doorstep asking to see the buyer. A typical major airline may have ten different fares for people ﬂying on the same ﬂight (one of thousands of ﬂights made each day). this is an area of fast change.’’ Anon.26
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‘‘If your system works well. Some beneﬁts come from very sophisticated systems. consider the customer. However. Information technology in all its forms is changing the face of business. United Airlines have pioneered the use of computers. But it would be a mistake to believe that this leaves them untouched by the information technology and e-commerce revolution. cancellations and fares to formulate policy for fare setting and discounting in a way that maximizes the number of fare paying passengers and the returns made. Marketing ranks high amongst those areas affected – or taking advantage of this.

the primary impact is positive and the moral is the same in
. This has clear implications for brieﬁng and training – more information. more regular changes and updates. Overall. in explanation). It is doubly useful to make sure they excel at anything competitors ﬁnd difﬁcult.g. These include: » price driven purchases (often where the product is checked out elsewhere and only bought over the Internet). but this probably actually means more complex. Meantime management must ensure that where personal selling remains possible. computer games).g. It is perfectly possible to persuade some customers that it is better (for them) to buy following personal. Sales people need to be aware of the environment in which they operate. So far the things sold most successfully over the internet are limited and fall into comparatively few categories. Although there are dangers in many of the other factors now mentioned. buying a book that then lands on the doormat). » Products are getting more and more sophisticated.THE E-DIMENSION
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new promotion. and the fact that the ‘‘buying experience’’ that people participate in now includes a greater variety of processes than ever before. display and merchandising opportunities – all these could be delayed or go by the board. This in turn means more product information for sales people to take on board and then put over to customers. in some industries e-commerce is taking over from. clearly and quickly (customers will not make more time for your people because they are slow. or circuitous. individual advice than just by scanning a computer screen. and » niche products of various kinds. » convenience (e. other forms of distribution. acceptable – even wanted – it is well deployed. But it is an opportunity nevertheless: if sales people take all this in their stride the impression they make on people is enhanced. It makes the job of selling that much more difﬁcult and speciﬁc steps have to be taken to make the wanted meeting seem attractive – unmissable – to the buyer. » enthusiast products (e. Sounds good. or being added to. The range may well widen.

» » » » What will it cost? What effect will it have on productivity? How will it affect peoples’ sales power? Will it have a positive or negative effect on customer service and perceptions? » Will it assist in building relationships and business? These different factors need balancing carefully. OPPORTUNITIES There are many ways in which technology interacts with sales. though how well they will do so remains to be seen. For the manager the job is to see the possibilities. Assisting productivity may make something immediately desirable. They seem headed to duplicate some of what computers do. but there may be dangers in ruling it out and missing signiﬁcant beneﬁts. and in the sales area not borne out – but careful checks are needed to make sure that a positive effect will accrue from any technological changes contemplated. Some of the questions that must be asked of a possible new initiative are as follows. There is not a shred of evidence to show that people are putting out more because of investments in technology. About the ﬁrst Stanley Roach. and to take a broad view of them. Chief Economist of Morgan Stanley. but how will customers see it and what will it do to their perception of your customer service? It is this aspect that inﬂuences sales effectiveness most.’’ Harsh words. » Mobile telephones: a simple one ﬁrst. illustrate the range of areas to consider here and hint at further changes to come. Two improvement areas must be assessed: productivity and sales effectiveness.28
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all cases – get these things right and you add to any edge between your organization and team and their competitors. said ‘‘The productivity gains of the information age are just a myth.
. The following examples. but they should never ring and interrupt a customer meeting. Something may seem to cost too much. in no particular order of importance. These are already ubiquitous and their use can certainly boost customer service and speed things up.

printed out and posted. adding immediacy and allowing informed decisions to be made on the spot. Going to a meeting under-informed and showing that no trouble has been taken to ﬁnd out about a new potential customer can quickly do damage. The net impact here should be good: saving time. and it does not impress graphically in the way a company letterhead should. so the convenience is obvious.g. » Communications: methods have changed (when did you last get a telex or even a fax?) and e-mail has replaced many more complex messages. An e-mail may fail to impress a customer because it is so informal. with reference books or spent getting hold of a company’s annual report was worthwhile. though remember that teaching the interactive skills deployed during sales meetings may need other inputs too. » updating records or issuing instructions to the sales ofﬁce (perhaps from the car after a meeting). in the form of everything from high capacity laptops to simpler handheld devices (e. and sales people always going for the easy option may dilute the overall and cumulative impression they should be helping to build.THE E-DIMENSION
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» Mobile computers: these.g. Now the ability to access the Website of so many organizations speeds and simpliﬁes the whole process – though more than just this may be necessary. A while ago a few minutes on the telephone. Palm or Psion machines). programmed learning devices on CD-ROM). and sales people do have to actually note
. It takes time to get something written. » Assisted learning: a variety of skills can be put over by learning packages (e. and » forming part of a presentation to a customer (using PowerPoint charts to explain complex ﬁgures perhaps). or so brief it fails to be clear. But it is not right for everything. » Research and information: information is power it is said. This may be useful for product knowledge or sales skills. Horses for courses – a variety of methods must still be used. And it can be wiped out at the touch of a button (so may not produce any potentially lasting memory jogger with a customer). can go into the customer meeting with the sales person. They allow a variety of things to be done quickly and easily: » checking stock and placing an order for a customer from their own ofﬁce during the visit.

they must build on the image of the organization and take the customer further in terms of both information and image. The many organizations that have Websites now have an additional element to assist in informing customers. Some rules and guidance from management here may be valuable. Websites are similarly a good way to gather competitive intelligence. anything ad hoc can look slapdash. The data available here is invaluable. Like many areas of systems a speciﬁc element of danger here is a lack of ﬂexibility. » Presentations: in some industries the sales process involves the regular use of formal presentations (another important personal skill). Contact is personal and whatever prompt is given to the individual sales person they must interpret it sensibly and take appropriate action. monitor and prompt action with major customers. they must support what is said.g. » CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Systems: here there is considerable sophistication with many different software systems available to record. with the system being followed slavishly and action directed at individual customers not being sufﬁciently well tailored. A good Website can thus make the job easier for sales people. There are speciﬁc ways also that customer visits to Websites can be used to enhance the sales process.). and not take over the process. they go through the presentation on automatic pilot led by the charts or whatever they are using. » Your Website: sales people have always had to link precisely with other media. competitive prices etc. and this may mean that by the time they talk to a sales person they are better informed than in the past (and this includes the information they have about competition. and in these and in many meetings visual aids are often very professional looking. however. if it is difﬁcult to navigate or manifestly not kept up to date). Such aids are important in assisting and augmenting customers’ imagination. » Research: information can be gathered by prompting customers or enquirers to complete information (without making it mandatory
. but the mistake should not be made of thinking that the system will do it all. but even small deﬁciencies can cause problems (e. if not they can lull the sales person into ceasing to think sufﬁciently clearly. If well used they add an important additional dimension to the sales process.30
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information obtained and think about how it can help them sell.

let us consider examples of the cross over between personal and technological selling. a customer’s purchase of a particular product (paid for on a card) can be followed by sending them linked promotional material – a sales pitch to the shop where this happens may include reference to this kind of process. BEST PRACTICE Finally. requirements and more. A customer visiting a Website and wanting to take things further can click on a box and prompt telephone contact. » Telephone link: software (or support) is available now to link customer visits to direct contact. » Good : Recently I contacted Oberoi Hotels in India. It must be customer oriented and enhance customer service and satisfaction rather than just improving the basis for selling and the likelihood of success (though it should do this too!).THE E-DIMENSION
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or too onerous to do). Further technological developments will extend such possibilities. The possibilities here are broad and varied. up-to-date information about customers – their feelings. There are other implications here also. and demonstration of commitment (a customer may be impressed by the contact provided by a Website in the same way as they may see advertising support making their job of selling on a product easier). For example. An hour later I had a call from their representative in
. Already smart cards are allowing information to be collected about customers and linked to future contact and promotion and sales. A well-designed Website can thus provide ongoing. It was easy to search for their Website and easy too to put a question to them through it. These include: selling overseas (where immediacy and quality of contact can be improved). Systems can ensure this happens promptly – or even guarantee that it happens so quickly that a call is received while the customer is on-line: they can look at information on screen while talking to a sales person. Any technology used alongside sales contact must be well thought out. ﬁrst two simple ones – good and bad – from my own observation.

While the charts shown looked good. when the whole purpose of the meeting was to link individually to my circumstances. the chances of prompting business enhanced. and the proportion of the total message that came straight off screen diluted the impression that the salesman made in a business where personalities and their expertise are crucial. but from my perspective as a customer they already knew something about me and tailored their approach well to the circumstances. and the net effect made a sale less likely than it might have been. In both these cases the implications for sales management are clear. warm lead to follow up. In the second.32
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London. things seem to have been well organized with the customer in mind. enhanced one another. This was not because the technology could not have been organized to enhance matters. the salesman proceeded on automatic pilot. but also the considerable
. He arrived on time and seemed very professional. making it seem like excellent service. their message was distanced from the customer. yet the effect on the customer is good. technology seemed to have taken over. Moral: in selling. then that meeting should be just a little easier to handle and make persuasive. what they do and how they do it. He disrupted my desk with his equipment – a laptop – and took me through a seemingly endless PowerPoint presentation the bulk of which was clearly standard. In the ﬁrst. Rather that insufﬁcient thought had gone into deciding how the integration would be made. The effect was the reverse of what was intended. In such circumstances if the next stage for the supplier is going to visit someone. » Bad : Recently I was visited by a ﬁnancial services salesman (whose organization had better remain nameless). yet proved so highly dependent on technology that I rather lost patience with him. technology must always support the personal presence. The system worked and the individual sales person encountered had clearly been briefed as to how to work so that the separate effects on customers of what they did. They had a fresh. it could. This kind of thing now represents the simplest kind of technological enhancement. The modern sales manager now has the bigger job of organizing not just people. surely a sales management responsibility. as it were. and what the system did.

The three key rules should be to: » take the broad view: information technology does not effect just one.
. Writing in The Information Age Manuel Castells stated: ‘‘The twenty-ﬁrst century will not be a dark age. Checking things out is as important as moving ahead fast.’’ changes may present difﬁculties too and it is as well be on your guard for them. The whole needs to work well together. SUMMARY These trends are set on a course. unclear. and » give priority to customer focus: just because something is technically possible does not mean it will create positive advantage. But already managers must be careful to take the right view of it – and to take the right action about matters it affects. perhaps by deﬁnition. it potentially affects everything. Technology may still perhaps be in its infancy. and no element of it can be left ‘‘just to happen. The full implications are.’’ Fair comment. ultimately it is the effect on customers and on customer service that matter most. Rather. Neither will it deliver to most people the bounties promised by the most extraordinary technological revolution in history. easily deﬁned and self-contained area. » seek opportunities: but remember.’’ or the customer ends up with an experience that works less well for them. it may well be characterized by informed bewilderment. changing technology does not automatically mean ‘‘new = good.THE E-DIMENSION
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technology used in whatever way to back them up.

The Global Dimension
The world may be shrinking in some senses. » International options » A little local difﬁculty » Best practice
04.10. Chapter 5 looks at the ‘‘on the ground’’ implications for sales management of global marketing.05
. but great distances are involved.

sales management reﬂects these differences. It can be done with no support or presence in the ﬁnal market. as well as marketing. i. whether goods are to travel by road. Essentially this implies physically shipping goods across the world. McDonalds. shipping. but is an area that demands specialist knowledge of such things as export documentation. Hewlett Packard. names such as Coca Cola.’’ Tom Hopkins. rail. The task of sales management in the context of international business is to try to get as close as possible to the operational situation in the home market. witness the posters you see having landed at almost any airport in the world. Sales trainer and author of ‘‘How to Master the Art of Selling’’ For many years a slogan used by the UK Chartered Institute of Marketing (which interestingly grew from the Sales Managers Association) was – The World is our Market. air or sea.e.36
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‘‘The biggest wasters of their own resources are the people who don’t know who they want to be or where they want to go. for instance operating only in one major city. Compaq and many more appear everywhere. This may be done by the organization themselves: for example using their own ﬂeet of trucks to ship goods to Europe or beyond. At the other end of the scale there are multinational businesses that span the globe. It may be dependent on the use of shippers. Certainly an organization’s sales activity is necessarily going to be different if it is being directed at customers on the other side of the world. Ford.
. insurance. Export marketing This is selling goods to overseas customers but doing so from a base in your home market. credit control etc. to maximize the effectiveness of the sales role despite the geographical differences and distance involved. A business may be successful on a limited geographical scale. INTERNATIONAL OPTIONS To review this we need to consider the various ways in which international business can be organized.

A company may well see this as an area for support: for example. For example. Sometimes such arrangements are exclusive. Such a company may specialize. for instance. Almost always however. Continuity is important and with modern communications it should be easy to keep in touch. ﬂying trainers out onto territory and taking any other action necessary to make
. on behalf of the principal. sales people must communicate with customers in a variety of ways. say. the basis of the customer relationship will be stronger if they are seen personally – visiting the territory – as well. but – despite the need to keep potentially high costs within bounds – visits must be organized that meet customer needs and sales staff need to be selected for this and briefed accordingly. but they cannot simply be set up and left to get on with it. Maybe the company will have: » their own local ofﬁce. meaning they will not sell products for competing manufacturers. This will link with the headquarters and may handle independently a range of things that have to be done locally (and maybe done differently from the way they are executed at home). the distributor’s sales staff must understand the product and know how to sell it. sometimes not. Success is usually in direct proportion to the amount of liaison. support and communications that is instigated between the two parties by the principal. local advertising or service arrangements. they might provide training. Export with a local presence The form that a local presence takes clearly affects the way a company operates and thus the nature of the operation involved. Payment of such entities is often on a basis of results. » An agent or distributor. sometimes across the whole range of industrial and consumer products in the way large distributors – often called trading houses in some parts of the world – do. construction machinery. and marketing. in other words a local company that undertakes the local work. Or they may sell a wide range of products. Sales management implications: an active approach is necessary.THE GLOBAL DIMENSION
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Sales management implications: with no people on territory. only selling. Costs may prevent this being a frequent occurrence.

to joint ventures and. They sell the right – the license – to produce the product to someone else.38
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it work (translation of materials. International marketing This implies a greater involvement in the overseas territories. in the motor market. in some businesses. Such is common. Again ongoing communication needs organizing.e. Sales management implications: whatever the nature of the local set up – its ability to ﬁeld an effective sales activity is paramount. The deal may include help with a variety of set up processes (from the provision of drawings to machinery). and marketing. The overall marketing strategy must be reﬂected by sales force operations territory by territory. On a large scale a local sales force and all that goes with it is simply duplicated. but used with a wide range of products and services. even in part. but thereafter the local company runs their own show. and payment is on some sort of ‘‘per product produced’’ basis. This is especially so when the returns to the principal are calculated. Here nothing is done on an ongoing basis by the principal. a local force in a number of markets. everything from setting up subsidiaries. A distributor’s sales staff must be inﬂuenced almost as much as a company’s own sales team (though their people are not employees of the principal). Marketing’s job is to select and use
. The complexities here can become considerable. perhaps). with components. well known from the likes of McDonalds and Holiday Inn. as do regular visits. There are other methods also: for instance franchising. and all need to be operated and therefore managed effectively. for instance. being sourced from several different locations around the world. for example. Sales management implications: despite the distancing involved here revenue success will still depend on the quality of sales involved. local manufacture. on sales results. Licensing This is an example of one of the other approaches possible. i. So the ‘‘parent’’ company may want to secure and agree an involvement. even if it is no more than positioning the sales manager as a technical advisor. assembled in one or more main centers and then distributed to and sold in many markets.

that is that they strive to understand and adapt and accommodate when dealing with overseas markets. It can simply be arrogant to assume no change is needed. Check major brands. For example things will not be the same at home and overseas. business ethics or time scale may all be different. All such may need or allow the opportunity to inﬂuence the sales activity ‘‘on the ground. Here such things as the prevailing practice regarding negotiation. Even a name – of a company or product – may need careful checking. culture. Brieﬁng a major customer may mean a visit ‘‘up country’’ in a four-wheel drive vehicle on roads made treacherous by the rainy season. electrical products may have to work with different voltages etc. There is thus a prime requirement for all sales staff. At home base a manager may inhabit a large ofﬁce. and their managers. for example a number may be popular in one country and regarded as unlucky in another (as eight is regarded as auspicious by the Chinese). Such differences will not only potentially affect details relating to the product. surrounded by staff and support services. but also the manner of doing business. Others tailor the product to individual markets – even something as simple as a chocolate bar may have many different recipes and ﬂavors for each of many different markets. This applies to many aspects of a product: cars may need change to meet local safety standards.THE GLOBAL DIMENSION
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methods appropriately. the marketing principle of ‘‘knowing your customer’’ is clearly paramount in overseas markets where people. Someone operating in or visiting a different country may be one of a handful of people there.’’ A LITTLE LOCAL DIFFICULTY Throughout industry. so marketing logically demands consideration of such options and that adaptations are made as necessary. Posting a letter may mean going to the mailbox personally. Fanta will be a different color of orange and a different taste depending on where you drink it. and maybe to originate new ones. Similarly in sales. some companies sell what they produce in similar form world-wide.
. books need translating. customs and more may be very different. what sounds catchy in English may be lewd in German or hilarious in Urdu.

Amazon are not alone. is visited by the sales person covering the area in which it is situated. carried out for the Singapore Publishers Association. Or perhaps on line – operations such as Amazon (supposedly the best known e-business world wide) now take a signiﬁcant proportion of total book sales. Now there is a new breed of customer to deal with. with a major chain of shops buying centrally being dealt with by a senior person (the industry’s equivalent of the Major Accounts Manager). you might also like to consider discomfort or even hostility. bearing in mind that they must be highly self-sufﬁcient. BEST PRACTICE The example commented on below links the global nature of business and of customers with new technology. or wholesaler (supplier to smaller retail outlets). Beyond difference. taking place in Japan. The only variance of this has related to size. UK operators – though their customers may be located elsewhere – include BOL and The Good Book Guide).40
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There are differences that will affect people very personally. Management must ﬁnd people right for these tasks. that of publishing. law and order – or lack of it – or simply inaccessibility may make them unattractive either as places to visit or to live. Assuming you have this text in book form – where did you buy your copy? Maybe in a traditional book shop. shows that these kinds of organization:
. It focuses not on one company. perhaps from a professional management institute or the direct ordering service of a newspaper or magazine. politics. Maybe in a specialist outlet. overseas a sales person employed by a distributor. Extremes may involve sales people politely eating sheep’s eyes in the Middle East or trying to remember the etiquette involved in a meeting to negotiate terms. and manage them too. but on a particular industry. Their business is worth a good deal to many publishers. but one of many such e-tailers selling books alongside a variety of other goods (as an example. In the home market this might be one of a team of directly employed people. A bookshop. But if such are part of your market then you must staff them with people who can cope. Traditionally publishers’ sales teams have been geographically organized. Research. Some countries are not an automatic choice for comfort – a range of things: climate.

Anything to do with selling and customer relationships is inherently fragile. if they rate someone as unprofessional.g. Tomorrow? That is another matter.g. Better still to do so in a way that satisﬁes them more than competition. » depend a great deal on which individual they see from a supplier.
. If it needs some non-traditional approaches so be it.g. knowledge and operating approach and style is important. » want advance information – and are concerned only with their own time scale. book covers available further ahead of publication than usual) again so be it. It is the sales manager’s job to check out the speciﬁcs of such a situation and organize and then maintain the contact that these new style customers want and like. which is inﬂuenced in turn partly by their ongoing communications (everything from catalogues to telephone calls). If it needs changes to procedures (e. and » have mandatory criteria that form part of their negotiation (e. next time a different line will be taken). SUMMARY The key things here are to: » seek opportunities widely: then organize to exploit them carefully and recognize that you must pace such development. Those that do may be quoted as examples of best practice today. things usually take longer when distances are involved. they will not buy a new book without seeing the jacket). It demands ﬂexibility and that an eye is constantly kept on the ball.THE GLOBAL DIMENSION
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» will not see everyone and who they do see is determined by their overall image of a publisher. uncaring or simply not sufﬁciently efﬁcient then they will do less business (or see someone else). » may demand that one publisher liaises with a number of people their end if a range of books and topics spans their organization (e. Any organization that fails to discover and respond to this sort of market change is in trouble. different buyers for general ﬁction and science ﬁction). » expect accurate information and resist hype (if something is oversold.

.42
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» identify and respect cultural differences: and ensure that operations are organized to cope with them. and » regard communications as key: overseas markets and the customers in them can easily be left feeling isolated. neglected or ignored. regular constructive contact is essential and some of it must be face to face.

In Sales Force Management (6th edition. but also because the future of the company depends on sales people who can . author of The Mastery of Destiny Sales management is a generic skill. with examples illustrating certain aspects of them and a link to current problems.
Each of these is reviewed in turn. and it is unique amongst management tasks. . not only because of the company’s immediate need to generate revenue through the sale of products and services. not just because selling is so important. importance and relationship with other activities are reviewed elsewhere in this work. McGraw-Hill. Here the focus is on the day-to-day sales management process. These are: » » » » » » planning organizing stafﬁng developing motivating control. and this in turn relates to the nature of the sales activity in a particular organization. is practice.
. . Its nature. nor only because sales is the largest marketing expense. this is fair comment. Churchill. industries and circumstances the key tasks are the same for all. ﬁnd more. Walker.’’ James Allen. While it is a process that must be applied differently in different organizations. issues or opportunities. but also because managing selling is unique. and keep more through carrying the voice of the customer throughout the ﬁrm.44
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‘‘The underlying principle of all development.’’ Overlong sentences apart. Ford.’’ It goes on: ‘‘Managing the selling function is one of the most important management functions in any ﬁrm. win more. Johnston and Tanner) it is said: ‘‘Selling is important. Sales management is important.

The sales plan The key questions here are as follows. » What is to be sold? (the detail.THE STATE OF THE ART
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PLANNING Planning is no academic nicety. and » how will we know when we have got there? (the process of measurement and control). These are no more than common sense. but detailed statements are needed in terms of areas like: » » » » sales by product sales by customer category sales in different areas. for example). Sales revenue will no doubt be clear. » where are we going? (demanding the setting of clear objectives). Essentially planning comes down to four key questions: » where are we now? (analysing the current situation). product by product as necessary): product mix is the key variable here. Plans should drive the business. and this should be done in a way that recognizes and anticipates any changes that the forthcoming period will bring (it is not just a case of adding an attractive percentage increase). Depending on the product
. and the thinking that goes into planning is key to analysis and making sure that the activity reﬂects the real world. and sales linked to price (at different discounts and levels of proﬁtability.
With this in mind. Setting sales objectives This process demands looking back and then forward. setting out who will do what and when). The next stage is to see how such a target can be met – this leads to the sales plan. sales can be forecast. and more. » how will we get there? (this produces an action plan. but they should prompt speciﬁc action by the manager in charge of the sales team. It is important that detailed and current information forms the basis of any extrapolation.

allow time for any necessary activity such as prospecting or telephone contact (and administration) and prompt a practical array of activity. its positioning and design. number of calls made per person (and on average per day). so budgeting is one aspect here. geographic locations). Price is a marketing variable. functions. direction may well be necessary for the sales force – it may be that the items to which they give priority.
. Analysis of the ratio of sales to sales cost is just the starting point. Factors such as what independent authority sales people have to negotiate price and terms should be clearly understood by all. especially where they have several different buying points (e. are not the company’s priority – with other lines having higher proﬁtability. perhaps because they are easiest to sell.g. assign call frequencies. The sales manager should be involved with decisions about pricing policy and must put the sales people in a position to work with the details effectively.46
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»
»
»
»
or service range. The mix of customers and the different levels and style of service they may want must be matched with the organization’s intention to push for sales. or even by individual customer. people. To whom? (a statement that should reﬂect all categories of customer): here there may need to be plans for customers by category. but one of the places pricing policy must be implemented and work well is at the sales interface with the customer. The system must categorize customers. together with any discount structures that are necessary. At what price? (recognizing the complexities of pricing policy): a logical pricing policy is necessary here. It is little good aiming for sales results with no clear idea how they will be obtained or the scale of the effort required. and leaving the mix sold just to ‘‘happen’’ should not be one of the options. At what cost? (and also with what cost-effectiveness): the sales plan has a cost. By what methods? (detailing how sales will be organized): the plan must specify sales actions very clearly. this may be best thought of on a matrix basis. Other measures may include: sales per territory. Sales productivity is the other concept that needs addressing here. number of customers managed by a sales person. Clarity is needed here. Large customers may need to have strategies developed for them.

First. Thus targets must be set not just for sales ﬁgures but for the activities that potentially produce them. prospecting. and set out details of action over a period across a complex organization with multiple buying points. matching this to internal considerations including product mix. As business approaches change new activities may become important and need adding in to the planning process. With the foregoing methodology in mind certain key practical points are worth emphasizing: Key issues » Comprehensive sales plans: plans must be activity as well as results based. Sales managers must increasingly be involved at senior levels of marketing planning to get this right. An example relating to this appears in the In practice section). ORGANIZING Organization addresses the basic design of the sale resource. period. and perhaps should be challenging – but they should be achievable. targets must be achievable – they can. Whatever objectives the organization sets. and targets must link to both. proposals etc. There are details here worth constant vigilance and ﬁne-tuning. it must be decided how many sales staff are needed. A matrix approach is often the answer. most successful sales person compared with the average (there can be a very signiﬁcant gap here). calls. average order value. These sub plans can include proﬁtability analysis. » Making the plan match real life: in years past sales people had a territory. meetings.g. at the level of individual sales person. strike rate – orders to call ratio. » Realistic targets: the link between forecasting and planning must be sound. e.THE STATE OF THE ART
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time spent face to face. This is best done
. Now plans need to reﬂect a number of issues beyond geography. such include: product range. This then becomes the basis for prompting and checking action. markets and different kinds of customer and buyer. A signiﬁcant part of many organizations’ sales plans is the development of individual customer strategies.

» Number of customers: obviously if the customer base is small less sales people are needed to cover them and vice versa. Many organizations hit problems because their sales organization becomes regarded as ﬁxed. This too is dependent on size and activity. government departments and maybe more. surveyors. External changes can accelerate this. Similarly if part of the job of selling is done in some way separate from a ﬁeld sales operation: online or on the telephone. the number of calls that will need to be made and relating that to the number of people able to undertake this amount of work. in the way that a building materials company might need to relate to: building ﬁrms and contractors (large and small). sales must be ﬁtted into the organization structure. builders’ merchants. architects. that the general manager must cope with all of this. » to link with marketing: sometimes marketing innovation necessitates change. Two factors should primarily be born in mind. with costs albeit often demanding a compromise. Secondly.48
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on a workload analysis basis. In this case they might have different people calling on speciﬁers (architects and others) and direct purchasers. They also sell through party style events (like Tupperware) getting mothers with small children to organize gatherings at their homes
. Key issues In considering organization. It may be. selling to book shops etc. local authorities. Questions such as: how many sales people can one manager manage? How many different types of sales people are necessary? How many territories or groups of customer have to be serviced? It may be that a sales director heads up the function and is supported by a sales manager with a number of area or regional managers reporting to them before the sales people appear. The complexities here will dictate the scale and arrangement of the organization structure. » Customer categories: for example. in a small organization. Usborne who sell books for children use normal channels and sales organization. remember: » to review regularly: it is a variable. and then – over time – ceases to match the market conditions. For example. looking at the level of customer service required. for instance.

security etc. Past experience and what successes it has
. experience). but represents a change that needs different people and organization to make this side of their operation work. and remuneration. The following eightstage approach is the basis of comment on this subject by Mike Wilson in his book Managing a Sales Force. Beyond duties and tasks this document can record such matters as reporting lines. work at the bottom of a mine shaft or carry out the sale in ﬁve minutes while the buyer mans a busy cash till in a store of some sort. They need to link intentions for call frequency and the customer mix (large and small) to a map and ensure that the way they ‘‘work’’ the territory is efﬁcient and productive (e. A systematic approach is recommended by many authorities.g. Recruitment must be thorough and systematic. say so. motivations (e.THE STATE OF THE ART
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to demonstrate and sell books. evaluation procedures. character (e. capacity for self-discipline etc. The rule here is simply stated. STAFFING One of the key issues addressed in the ﬁnal chapter (Chapter 10) is stafﬁng. It should spell out the tasks in full (it is not enough just to say it is ‘‘to sell the product ’’). This works well. and » to prompt organization at individual territory level: the way individual sales people manage their own ‘‘patch’’ is also vital. and poor performers can end up monopolizing a sales manager’s time and this.g.). 2 Writing a proﬁle of the person: what kind of person is likely to be successful in the job? List basic characteristics (e.g.g.g. If a successful candidate must be able to give a technical demonstration of the product. emotional maturity (e. There is no room for passengers. in turn causes other problems as other things are delayed or neglected. attitudes to money. persistent. proﬁle. Assemble and maintain a team of good people. self-reliant). minimizing travel time and cost). 1 Writing a job description: this is worth spending some time on. If prospecting is necessary say so.). Again this is something they need to be reminded to review regularly. age.

Some things are clear: you can test someone’s ﬂuency in French. One main interview. but worth doing (telephoning those a candidate gives permission to contact may be best) – and worth doing up front.50
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brought them are important here. If you use an agency it may seem expensive – but so is your time! And try to get a personal recommendation. a second opinion might be obtained from a colleague on the second one. take care – some will not be there tomorrow). they need careful choosing. Other tests need more care.). Recruiting candidates: review the options. match it to the job description and proﬁle and plan to interview only those who show well at this stage. so too are details (more than one sales person has been appointed before it was discovered they could not drive a car!). though some swear by psychometric tests that proﬁle candidates. Ask for comprehensive information.
. Assessing application forms: a good application form (which these days might be completed on line) is invaluable. If it shows up any ‘‘nasties’’ then you save the time of the other stages. Structured interviewing: this stage links your details of the job and the candidate with their personal showing. numeracy or other straightforward skills precisely – and reject them if they are inadequate. there are agencies and agencies (and currently a look on the Internet identiﬁes more than 5000 agencies operating that way. trade magazines etc. The whole process works better with more forms and less interviews rather than the reverse. add time and cost – and none can measure sales ability as a speciﬁc factor. but do not overlook other channels such as looking internally or asking existing staff for recommendations (and paying a reward if successful candidates are produced this way). It is worth cross-checking what was said on an application form (there is a considerable temptation to lie on them) – indeed the form can provide the structure for the interview. Checking references: not always easy. Testing: similarly this is better done before interviewing. You can advertise (in local or national papers. and perhaps a shorter second one for a shortlist works well.

In an increasingly litigious world you do not want to run foul of the law when candidates are rejected or unsuccessful people have contracts terminated. highly motivated. So if there is a particular problem (e. This is a pivotal task and needs special care and attention. the difﬁculty of full employment in somewhere like Singapore) it must not be allowed to weaken resolve to make the right appointment. » Experiment: and do not be hidebound by convention. or have ten years experience in your industry? Maybe the place to ﬁsh is in new pools – in your own factory or amongst groups less obviously qualiﬁed. almost inevitably. It is a common failing that people (especially men) believe they are a good. judge of character – ‘‘I know the good candidates within ﬁve minutes of beginning the interview. this is not an area for compromise. » Stereotypes: avoid using descriptions of sales jobs that are totally clich´ e – if you say nothing in an advertisement other than asking for someone – ‘‘dynamic.g.’’ Research does not bear this out. Key issues » Assumptions: avoid making them.’’ Be factual about the job. » Legislation: make sure that all records. For example. » Local difﬁculty: as has been made clear.THE STATE OF THE ART
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8 Evaluating a shortlist and making a ﬁnal decision: Check the facts. instant.
. Recruitment needs a systematic approach to be successful – you skimp this process at your peril. contracts and processes are as they should be (check with your HR [human resources] department). to bad performance and you very rarely hear sales managers say that someone turned out better than they thought at interview stage. self-starting. why do all prospective candidates have to have a degree. forms. relate one candidate to another objectively – trust your judgment and experience – but beware of irrational hunches and pseudopsychology. personable and of exceptional character’’ – most people reading it will say – ‘‘That’s me. Bad selection leads. persistent. and worse.

You do not want technical product knowledge put over by someone with no understanding of customers. or instruction) on a small. » Field training: time must be spent regularly in the ﬁeld. but regular and representative number of calls is a means of making all the many others they make alone go well. » It is beyond the scope of this work to recommend speciﬁc evaluation systems on which to base this sort of process. it must actually help review and improve performance. constructive. and must not be seen as. Some things can be delegated. one of the key reasons for having sales meetings. with people – including experienced people. which can then be better addressed on a group basis.52
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DEVELOPING This is. without doubt. and much – maybe most – of what must be done is best done by the manager. » Group activities: ﬁeld training allows the identiﬁcation of common needs for development. checking. A cycle of evaluation. » The most important aspect of the role is to establish the habit of self-evaluation and ﬁne-tuning in people. Selling is dynamic and needs constant ﬁne-tuning. and they need to know how – exactly how – selling skills can be appropriately and effectively deployed for you. counseling and action and advice to focus the sales person’s thinking on the quality of their approach and back to evaluation is a continuous process.
. but some formality of system may help. These must be well planned and conducted. joint calling. It starts as people are recruited. It must be tailor-made and seen to be clear. » The most important objective here relates to the numbers involved. constructive in manner. they need to understand the kind of people who will be their customers. the most important element of the sales manager’s job. making them better able to operate alone and making it more likely that they will always do so at the peak of performance. » Induction training: even if you recruit experienced sales people they need how to operate in your environment. They need to know about your organization and product. Working with the sales person (this is not. and fair – and above all practical. but beware. Time spent at this stage can pay dividends. control. consistent.

for instance). Poor meetings quickly dilute motivation. alternatively there may be value in having assistance from a consultant. for example. Managers must ﬁght to spend an appropriate amount of time on this process. In a large organization different levels of sales management may help spread the load (regional and area managers. » Time: in modern business. but the manager should play a part and be an effective catalyst to more. therefore. Key issues As has been made clear the development task is probably the single most important thing sales managers can spend time on. A constructive view must always be taken of it. indeed it must take up most of their time.
. If sales approaches are to truly differentiate from competition. equally any development activity should be practically based and genuinely likely to help maintain or improve performance.THE STATE OF THE ART
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content and approach – and must make a difference. » Formal training: sometimes development needs more formal solution. training exercises or training ﬁlms. sometimes the manager may be able to conduct short sessions themselves. Sometimes the answer may be an external or internal course. pressure on time seems to increase constantly. the latter can be tailored. At the end of the day the person most likely to be able to do this on a regular basis is the sales person themselves. Development activities here can involve people in. For others the key task is to balance overall workload – and sales managers seem inclined to have a wide range of responsibilities beyond actually managing the sales team (getting involved in everything from promotion to pricing). ways must be found to give this area priority. leading projects and also allow other methods to be used such as role-playing. In a larger organization help may come from an HR department or there may be a training resource center (with a library and facilities to view videos or undertake e-learning of various sorts). The ongoing need for development should never be underestimated. and thus the following need addressing.

not just be seen as checking up on them or telling them what to do. It may always be an essentially negative aspect of the job.’’ the net effect of many inﬂuences on people in their work. constructive. » Perception of the role: the days of sales managers being regarded as primarily having a ‘‘police’’ role are. If development ensures that people are able to do what is required. computer based training). provides a good analogy for balancing motivational inﬂuences: actively creating positive feeling and acting also to minimize negative feelings. and often working largely on their own.g. The theory of motivation that provides the most practical basis for a concept that links easily to action is that of Frederick Herzberg (see the section Key Concepts and Thinkers). long gone. it is important that the relationship between sales people and their manager is. His description of satisﬁers and dissatisﬁers.
. By all means use technology or anything else that helps. Yet with control being part of the job. MOTIVATING It is an inherent part of any manager’s job to motivate. and thus new methods and approaches. and for sales people in isolation (e. and is seen to be. then motivation ensures that they want to do so. For example. The motivational ‘‘climate. will only be sparked or evolved if people work constructively and creatively together (the airline industry example in Chapter 2 makes this point). for the most part. but the key activity of individuals working creatively together may achieve most and this effect must not be diluted. For sales people.’’ Managers must work with people. has a very real impact on the way they do their job. there is a danger that actual face to face contact declines. most sales people hate administration. New ideas. Too often one hears sales people say something like ‘‘I never seem to see my manager unless there is something wrong. Learning – certainly that prompts consistently different future practice – will only take place if lessons are made acceptable and people are involved in the process. the way they feel about their job is especially important. but it needs to be done.54
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» The personal touch: with more and more training provided through technology. faced with the attrition of customer attitudes.

have a role to play. To motivate successfully you must work at it.
. Key issues » Time pressure: without a doubt low motivation is more often a result of less being done than should be. and small inﬂuences are just as important in the total picture as large. But a simple ‘‘Well done’’ can be as powerful as anything – and costs nothing. Incentives can be linked to all sorts of things. Motivating does take time. Incentives are perhaps worth a special word. overall sales but also opening new accounts. or make themselves. newsletters. the process can quickly become a habit and it can be as pleasurable to motivate as to be motivated. » Resisting magic formulae: the easiest trap to fall into is a belief that money is a panacea. including ﬁnancial incentives. than of the wrong thing being done. This is not always possible. Such schemes need to be straightforward (it is no good if an hour needs to be spent with a calculator just to see how things are going). they must pay out regularly (for some sales people thinking about Friday-week is longterm planning). Results need to be readily linked to individual effort (team incentives are less powerful). Simple quarterly schemes. instinctive motivators have a real asset in their management armory. Motivation is a key part of sales management and managers who are. and that aspect becomes motivational. and they should be interesting – fun – linking to published results. Incentives. Variety is important too. and league tables all help. selling in a new product or proﬁtability of sales. they must represent a signiﬁcant proportion of total remuneration (and that means bearing in mind family income). as do mixing ﬁnancial reward with other incentives (travel is a favorite).THE STATE OF THE ART
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however explaining why it is necessary and creating the minimum straightforward system to get it done is appreciated. But a mix of activities is best. with regular changes work well. but it is time well spent – it needs building in as a priority. Research over the years seems to show consistently that the best performing sales people have a reward system that includes some element of payment on results. the effort is worthwhile.

The manager needs to care (and the old saying that – ‘‘if you can fake the sincerity. it revolves around the following equation: A − S = ±V Actual performance (A) is compared with a preset standard (S) and action is considered. CONTROL The word control can have connotations of ‘‘policing.’’ In fact the concept is simple and constructive.g. and recognizing achievements are probably more important than anything. In nature they are: » absolute standards: these are speciﬁc targets (e. but only provide certain information. A variety of standards can be used and these may relate to everything from the number of calls made in a day to the sales of a particular product. when sales people may have different priorities.56
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» Being censorious: what matters most is the people. then it is that the simpler things – just taking an interest in people. working constructively with them. In selling there are only four key variables: who is called on (the nature and type of customer or prospect).g. » moving standards: these look at results over time (e. and – a whole separate area – what
. annual sales revenue). and if necessary taken. They are important. and » diagnostic standards: as the name suggests these are designed to show the reasons why results are as they are. It is easy to base motivational practice on what you would like. how many people are called on (more potential customers seen = potentially more sales). by considering the variance (V) between the two. how often they are called on (call frequency). everything else is easy’’ – must never be allowed to become the basis for action). giving them authority. But they have to be real. a moving annual total) and thus highlight more about trends and likely outcome. » Caring: if there is anything like a magic formula in this area.

Key issues » A surfeit of information: the biggest problem these days may seem perverse. its value will be maximized. LOOKING AHEAD It has been mentioned several times in this work that selling is a dynamic process. Certainly information is probably easier to collect and more up to date than was the case in the past. Making sales people aware of how important it is. Management must focus on those factors (whatever they are from volume of sales to the number of new accounts opened) that are key. their prime job is to act as a catalyst to success. and it may be ﬁlling in a form or inputting to a computer of some sort. Control is not simply to correct faults. One of any sales manager’s key tasks is to ensure
. this must not be an area of constant hassle as this just wastes time and puts the veracity of information in doubt » Fit internal aspects of control to the outside world: for example. This last point is key. While management has a duty to provide a framework and encourage discipline amongst sales people. The essence of control is change. ask why this should be happening and build on the action that is creating it. but key indicators can get buried.THE STATE OF THE ART
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is done face to face with the customer (the quality and effectiveness of the sales approach). The knowledge of what is happening allows action to be taken either aiming to bring things back on track if there is a shortfall. high sales volume over this time may negate the effect of incentive schemes throughout the remainder of the year. the process must not be over-engineered. and must know what they are. or to build on success. if sales people man an exhibition stand at a trade show at the beginning of the ﬁnancial year. By viewing control as both focusing on positive and negative results and acting as a spur to change. and making the system straightforward should get information ﬂowing well. There is too much information. It is just as useful to see a positive variance. » Optimizing information collection: however information is collected. It is to accentuate the positive.

So it is a prerequisite that they are not only able to deﬁne what is necessary now. time spent on a variety of counseling and development tasks are literally day by day tasks. time spent on recruitment must be well organized and wisely spent. None of us can be sure what the future holds. Conversely. but it is not something that must be done every day (well. but that they are ahead of the game in spotting. who must:
. The preceding section focused primarily on tasks. sales managers have a multifaceted task. For example. changes that will require changes to sales practice. and being equally effective in a disparate list of operational areas. The following questions ﬂag the areas that need watching: » what further changes will technology bring? » how will the sales function ﬁt in future within the organization’s total marketing mix? » with whom precisely will responsibility for individual customers (especially large ones) lie? » how is the role of the sales force changing? » what range of tasks will the members of the sales team need to perform in future? » what skills – and new or changed skills – will they need to have at their command? » what new pressures will competition bring to bear and how will that change what we need to do? » how do we rate against competitors and on the broader stage (including international competition and market activity)? and » what different expectations will customers have in future and what new demands will they make? SUMMARY Overall. Each aspect of it is important. Indeed their job takes its shape from that of those they manage. ﬁnally the following sets out a check list more in terms of the personal characteristics of the successful sales manager. Some responsibilities are more occasional than others. better still predicting.58
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their team is selling in just the right way. not in a good sales organization!). however working to keep ahead can be approached systematically. Key to being a successful sales manager is getting the balance right.

because sales is an inherent part of the marketing mix. » communicate effectively – with staff. Managing the activity is not enough – it must work. singly and as a group. able to direct.THE STATE OF THE ART
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» have knowledge of marketing and an involvement in it. negotiation.. policies and priorities to drive towards them). In the survey The Future of Selling (see Chapter 8) the future role is deﬁned as follows: ‘‘Tomorrow’s sales leaders will need to develop a clear view of the way ahead for the customers in their industries. Perhaps in one way or another everything here comes back to customers. ’’
. but must understand and be able to practice the full gambit of techniques involved: sales. » be a corporate team player. as liaison with many different parts of the business is mandatory and must be done effectively. » be productive – able to balance conﬂicting priorities and still spend sufﬁcient time with the team. because achieving a customer focus in sales activities is always key. numeracy etc. colleagues and customers. and » achieve results. They do not need to be the best on the team. » take the long view (directing activities. » be an effective manager. setting strategic objectives and deﬁning a framework of targets. this is something that demands problem solving and decision-making abilities. presentation. » stay close to the market. » sell effectively. control and inspire a team of usually free-spirited people. and be able to provide their sales people with the direction and competencies to take full advantage of the opportunities available.

» » » » » Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Horses for courses A good idea
04.10.07
.In Practice
How can day to day sales management be made to work? Chapter 7 looks at cases and ideas to see how a practical and creative approach can help.

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‘‘Information’s pretty thin stuff. and succeeded in. The hotel itself was their most valuable visual aid. the sparkling
. ‘‘This is what I would recommend for your (wedding reception or whatever)’’ left a great deal to the imagination of the customer. chairs and other items ready for the next event. One segment of the market of an international hotel group was for their conference business – the use of meeting rooms for everything from training seminars to wedding receptions. A tour of the hotel was a core part of their exchange with customers.’’ Clarence Day. and show how the right approach can help whether applied to major or. a sales person could stand in the recommended room and see clearly in their mind’s eye how it would be – the ﬂowers. most often. just saying. An empty conference room is not at its most impressive. they were showing people around when rooms were empty. and clearly an inspection of the meeting rooms was an important part of the proceedings for conference customers. seemingly. The sales staff were clearly experienced regarding the use of their own property. the principal tasks identiﬁed in Chapter 6. are exempliﬁed by comment about how sales managers are currently operating and what makes for success. minor matters. of course. CASE 1 This appears simple. for example. but is a clear and positive example of management providing support that changes selling practice. Rather it is to highlight approaches and thinking that is useful. that is realistically linked to practical issues about how the customer buys. Discussing a wedding. American essayist In this section. unless mixed with experience. But. The situation The sales team aimed at. particularly if it stores stacks of tables. The intention here is not to focus on major strategies. still less to suggest one ideal way of operating. While staff were well informed and enthusiastic. meeting most prospective buyers at their properties. They were well able to offer good advice of which rooms to use for what.

The sales manager commissioned a portfolio of high quality photographs. and » customers liked it and commented on it (in terms of it adding to the service they were receiving).IN PRACTICE
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glasses. The organization of this. the results in use were tangible: » sales increased. If they needed a business meeting then business meetings could be shown. Rather it was to make them believe their function would go well there and help them imagine it doing just that. but they had to be made to feel it was worthwhile to do so. and put them into a presentation folder that the sales people could go through with prospective customers. Sometimes coincidence meant that they could be shown an event in full swing. » bookings made on a ﬁrst visit increased. laid out in different ways and photographed (with the permission of past users) to show how well they suited people. workshops. after just a short brieﬁng. The action Imagination is always assisted by seeing something. want to be treated like individuals). took a little time and cost some money. » the sales approach was easier to personalize (an important factor – being taken robot-like on what seems to be the same tour as everyone else does not impress prospects who. conferences – a range of meetings. » sales people had more conﬁdence (and their motivation was positively affected). Sometimes they could be asked back during a similar event. The usefulness of the material was self-apparent and. and so on. For a wedding the ﬂowers and everything else was there – clear. colorful and promising similar satisfaction to the next happy couple.
. which went way beyond the shots in brochures (mainly empty of people). like all customers. the crisp white tablecloths and smiling guests. and too many of them headed off to inspect somewhere else. They knew such an occasion would be memorable. But the customer just saw an empty room. The job was not to show them the room.

It ran from making initial contact to a meeting. shows the importance of getting the real facts. so that management knew how many initial contacts were necessary. as one respondent said ‘‘almost as if they had come from different people. effort and therefore money – all of which had to be duplicated to produce a replacement prospect. impersonal) and training organized to address the speciﬁc differences in writing approach that prospects found desirable. and provide everything possible – with an eye on both sales people and customers. It showed that proposals were viewed as being different from prior discussions (which had been rated highly). on average. Over a comparatively short period of time. but they can certainly help boost sales.64
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In a service business such an initiative is clearly especially important. Research was conducted (formal research handled by a consultant) to ascertain how prospects viewed the quality and nature of the written proposals. Sales aids are often important in many industries. unclear. a written proposal. On the success of written proposals moving things to the next stage the ratio seemed low. and of attention to detail. CASE 2: DOTTING THE ‘‘I’’S The following example. It is to think about what will help. over-formal. The success rate of each stage was closely monitored. to produce a set number of meetings – indeed all the ratios of this sort were monitored. This was relatively quick and easy to do as it was addressed to major recent prospects (who had declined to take things further). follow up action and sometimes further meetings with formal presentations also being necessary on occasions. This was bad enough. especially where large projects were involved. The sales people were involved in a classic long-term cycle in getting business. but of course anything that failed to move on at this stage had taken up a fair amount of time. The job of the sales manager is not just to chase people to use what is there (perhaps what has always been there!). As this example shows such ideas need not be complicated or costly. as new – and better crafted – proposals went out the ratio of success climbed positively
. paraphrasing the experience of an international ﬁnancial services ﬁrm.’’ The detail was analyzed (too long.

role-playing. » allocate sufﬁcient time to ﬁeld evaluation and development and maintain that consistently in the face of other pressures. New ideas are required. and dislikes etc. The UK Meetings Industry Association has a membership primarily representing operators of hotel and conference venues. although originated by a trade body. ideally of course combining novelty with practicality. with people lapsing into an unthinking ‘‘automatic pilot’’ approach that fails to achieve the best possible performance. both formal and informal. providing a basis for their future sales activity and helping develop good habits (not least the habit of acting on the need for self evaluation and ﬁne-tuning of sales approaches). a standardized approach risks alienating people. such a chain of differing approaches needs creative thought. The moral is clear: analysis of the sales job. so that attention and time are focused again on key issues which might otherwise cease to be thought about. Certainly it is
. this is a specialist area of business. to sales management in maximizing the effectiveness of the sales team. and » ring the changes.IN PRACTICE
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and signiﬁcantly. including sales. In many ways. CASE 3 Given the importance of training. The latter example above can be approached in many ways with the same topic being investigated through exercises. one case here should surely touch on this topic. as with so much else in selling. Two caveats: as customer expectations. projects and more – with each exposure adding to people’s awareness in a fresh way. likes. change nothing must be left unreviewed for ever on the assumption that it is now satisfactory. Even so. and action to get the detail right pays off. real information about customer expectations. ﬁlms. There are numbers of problems here. One aspect here was the effective tailoring of material to individual prospects – in other words. for example to: » provide induction training that gets people off to a good start. The following certainly does that and. illustrates the kind of thinking that any organization can apply.

yet provides something tailor made for what sales management must do. as it is called. a sales situation was identiﬁed involving one of the sales team from a member company and a real client. The main point here is that the format itself was the novelty that allowed something different to be created. and with some brieﬁng a real meeting was ﬁlmed literally as it happened. thus the utilization of sales training in generic form is lower than in some industries. However. their products. » In selling pharmaceutical products sales people selling direct to doctors.66
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one where an exclusivity is felt. Much effort goes into both deﬁning what can usefully done in such a time (clearly it must be focused) and into practicing succinct yet persuasive call content that can get a worthwhile message over fast.
. even if a little professional assistance was needed it is a low cost option. Any organization could do something similar. it was thought – a thought that many individual organizations have had. The suggestion of making a ﬁlm was promptly rejected. Their permission and co-operation were obtained. With minimal editing. Too expensive. HORSES FOR COURSES Here are a few examples of practice that is designed to maximize effectiveness by reﬂecting the special nature of the ﬁelds in which sales people work. Costs were kept down because. The education committee resolved to create something speciﬁc to assist member organizations. something of considerable training value. but so was the industry input. GPs are reported to allow an average of four minutes to someone detailing. A venue was found who agreed to host the exercise. have only a limited time to sell. unusually. either general practitioners or in hospitals. the ﬁlm was shot live and the characters ﬁlmed were real. a way was found. The ﬁlm was to be low cost and focus on deﬁned aspects of sales technique. and some added commentary (and an accompanying workbook) it became as useful as many a more professionally made ﬁlm – and had the merit of reﬂecting the exact situation of the kind of business involved. The training input here was important (the author was involved as consultant). on reﬂection.

IN PRACTICE

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Other methods are also used to get round the problem, for example presentations to a number of doctors at a group practice. » In selling agricultural products sales people ﬁnd that farmers, as well as expecting them to be knowledgeable about their products and applications (in what conditions precisely is a particular weed killer suitable?), want them to be participative. A pair of wellington boots in the car is a prime piece of equipment, and many a new recruit has been taken the muddy route (or worse!) to inspect a ﬁeld by a farmer regarding them as ‘‘wet behind the ears.’’ » In selling in ﬁnancial markets the old ways of 9–5 working hours have long gone. Customers may work long, or odd hours – to tie in with the working hours of an overseas stock exchange perhaps – and expect their suppliers to do the same. It may seem basic, but such practices are not universally followed. By matching to the realities of markets and customers, sales people can increase the chances of a fair reception. Such factors change and thus need keeping an eye on – more evidence of the dynamic nature of sales. This is another area to look at to create differentiation. A GOOD IDEA Finally, in this chapter, it is worth noting that sales management is made more effective in all sorts of ways if approaches are well thought out. Seemingly simple ideas can have a considerable effect. » Timesaving administration: sales people are not renowned for their love of administration. One idea, used now by many companies, provides an appropriate incentive to get the administrative tasks done, done right and done on time. Usually on a monthly basis sales people have to complete and return a number of reports (from call reports to competitive intelligence). These may be of no central use until everything is in and can be consolidated, and – if one is late – it sparks off a series of time wasting ‘‘chasers.’’ The answer? To have a mandatory rule: anyone whose required reports are not in on time, complete and legible (a good many are still on paper) has their expenses claim payment delayed until the next month. It works. It is seen as fair (if explained) and, in terms of management style, can

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be balanced by putting the chasing time saved to use with discursive approaches to things that matter more. » Spicing up sales meetings: it is a useful measure of sales management competence to ask a member of a sales team, ‘‘What was your last sales meeting like?’’ If they groan then there should probably be some changes. A key rule is to ensure that there is sufﬁcient participation. As well as just asking questions and involving people in discussion more may be necessary. One sales manager (now forgotten) showed me a brief checklist they had developed of all the elements that could be added. They always utilized one – or more – and rang the changes to ensure variety. The elements were: role-play; demonstration; brainstorming; games, quizzes, tests or competitions; exercises (practicing or experimenting with something); formal presentations; analysis (e.g. to produce an action plan for a major customer); ﬁlms (linked to discussion or exercise); awards; debate or visitors (from another department or even a customer, though perhaps in some cases the visit should not last throughout the whole meeting). » Heavy trafﬁc: given the increasingly slow speed of trafﬁc in most major cities, sales people the world over spend more and more of their time traveling – time spent in the car that is essentially nonproductive. There may be comparatively little that can be done about this, though: » some companies have banned sales people from moving around in core city centers. They expect to see a receipt for parking the car and sales people walking from one central contact to another; » more and more organizations use audio tape for communication (e.g. to update product information) which can be played while driving; and » at the same time, mobile telephones can be useful, but can also be dangerous (more companies now lay down rules for this area – and perhaps more need to do so). » Delegation: all sales managers experience the need for what are usually called PR (public relations) calls – when customers say, in whatever way, ‘‘I must see the manager.’’ Sometimes this is necessary and useful but, while managers need to do some selling (or they may get out of touch), such calls can prove unnecessary and reduce time that should be spent on management tasks. One resolution

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managers might make is at least to query these requests. It is easy to be ﬂattered and feel that no one else can deal with it – but these are prime opportunities to delegate. For example, managers can: » make such calls joint calls, involving one of the team; » use this to make sure that customers see the team as their prime contact; or » simply brief a sales person and delegate the call, explaining to the customer, indeed making a virtue of the change. This combines development to extend skills with added responsibilities for coping with a wider range of customers and situations. » Major customer strategies: the fact that a customer is large can, perhaps perversely, mean that less planning takes place – a large order becomes routine and seems to negate the need to check that the full potential is being exploited. To combat this, draw attention to the need and get and keep activity moving; one sales manager set up regular lunch meetings. With the inducement of free sandwiches, he got people together in small groups that met regularly; each meeting focused on one major customer and debated the best action for say the next three months of operations. In this way each sales person had to review some of their major customers – and got the beneﬁt of others’ advice in so doing. The meetings were enjoyed, put good ideas on the table and led to positive action and recognizably additional sales. » No such thing! Just to show that even the smallest thing can bring change and improvement, I would note that banning, with attendant fuss, the use of that ubiquitous piece of sales jargon ‘‘the courtesy call’’ from all call reports (where it so often appears instead of anything more descriptive) can produce better planned, more effective calls and improve sales. All calls need objectives. Just calling in to say ‘‘Hi’’ or because the customer is always good for a cup of decent tea is not enough! QUOTE In one American publishing company the sales manager is quoted as saying that they had found the perfect incentive scheme – ‘‘every month we ﬁre the guy at the bottom of the sales league! ’’

CEO of McDonalds in Australia There is not a great deal of dedicated terminology in the speciﬁc area of sales management (though it shares much general management jargon). Continue to think like a customer and ﬁnd new ways to give them the best possible experience. Call plan – the statement of work to be done with customers. beware – such schemes need to be carefully checked for tax implications. A second signiﬁcant factor is the lead time involved. sometimes used to categorize customers and describe their relative importance. the following can be noted. However.’’ Award scheme – an incentive scheme based on non-ﬁnancial rewards (such as merchandising or travel). it’s that they will change – in taste. measures vary as to what a major customer is. in attitude. Key/major/national accounts – a variety of names are used here. Such
.’’ Charlie Bell. Call frequency – the number of times in a year a customer is scheduled to receive regular calls. First. say. GLOSSARY Kerbside conference – the post call ‘‘post-mortem’’ and development session held when a manager is accompanying sales people in the ﬁeld (which may often take place in the car – hence the name). capital equipment it may take many months from ﬁrst meeting to contract and there is an overlap here with ‘‘major sales. Contract sales force – this refers to freelance or agency-provided sales staff who are not employed by those for whom they sell. In industries selling. Competitor intelligence – the information collected about competitive products and services and their suppliers that may speciﬁcally be used to improve the approach taken on a call. So we will continue to learn. and in demands. arranged with productivity and effectiveness in mind.72
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‘‘If there’s one constant about customers. it is not motivational for a sales person to return from a wonderful holiday to an unexpected tax bill. simplistically it is only what an individual organization ﬁnds signiﬁcant.

activity away from any formal setting. Pie system – a structured way of managing the spread of customers and prospects around a sales territory. undertaken out and about on territory. and incentives may involve much more than the ﬁnancial payments that usually comprise commission. Petal system – a practical way of organizing journeys to minimize time and mileage and thus help maximize productivity. On-the-job training – ﬁeld training and development activity. Thus commission may not act as an incentive. Field training – simply training. or development. SPIN – although this is a registered trademark. Incentives prompt better performance (and the addressing of particular targets) for the future. Remuneration – a general term. Sales productivity – the sales equivalent of productivity in an area. respectively: the internal motivational drive that makes the good sales person want to succeed. the way these words need interpreting in sales is as follows: Commission rewards past performance. perhaps linked to a test market). being seen to do so. and the ability to see things from other peoples’ (customers) point of view – and. Incentive/commission – whatever the dictionary may say.
. Ego Drive/Empathy – Mayer and Goldberg’s terms for. writing reports etc. the focus here is on efﬁciencies that maximize the amount of time spent with customers (rather than traveling. Sales audit – an. incentives etc.KEY CONCEPTS AND THINKERS
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teams may be used on a permanent basis or over a short period (to boost sales in a seasonal business or launch a new product. systematic review of all aspects of the sales activity and its management to identify areas needing improvement. which with sales people implies the inclusion of elements of their reward package that are speciﬁc to the sales job: car. a process that recognizes the inherent dynamic nature of sales.): it focuses on ratios and touches on anything that increases sales success however measured. or working well and needing extension. occasional. it is heard used generically – spin – to describe a customer focused and questioning based approach to identifying needs and selling appropriately in light of this knowledge. importantly.

Territory – the area covered by an individual sales person. Used in various ways.’’ even internally there
. beneﬁt selling. and sales management along with it. marketing techniques. while not having exclusive authority to buy. rather in the systematic and thorough addressing of the key tasks of sales management reviewed at some length in Chapters 6 and 10. perhaps sexier. Externally there is a classic suspicion of ‘‘someone with something to sell. Qualifying prospects – research or action to produce information to demonstrate that cold prospects are ‘‘warm.g. Selling suffers from a low status image virtually worldwide. but not always. Its successful practice lies not so much in the adoption of key concepts (unless the conviction that sales people need managing is one such). there is terminology used by sales people and about selling. the following simply provides some examples: Beneﬁts – reasons to buy. through their recommendation. moving or diagnostic standards are all used). have never been viewed in quite the same way as other. however. worth keeping in mind. Certain more conceptual factors are. geographic. In addition.g. inﬂuence the buyer. Inﬂuencers – people who. speciﬁcally what a product or service does for or means to a buyer (as distinct from features. It is usually. There is too much to list comprehensively here. This is reviewed in Chapter 6 ‘‘The State of the Art – Control’’.74
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Standards – preset targets (absolute. factual aspects about a product).’’ KEY CONCEPTS Sales management is a personal – people to people – task. The sales proﬁle Selling. e. perhaps only in the United States is this less so. Cold calling – approaches to potential customers by any method (face to face or telephone. say) who are ‘‘cold’’ – have expressed no prior interest of any sort. a secretary). Gatekeeper – someone who through their position can facilitate or deny access to a buyer (e.

’’ Exactly so. Selling is not something to be done to people and everything about it and the way it is approached should reﬂect that fact. innovation.’’ meaning much the same or ‘‘strategic selling’’ which seems more vague and. then the scene is set for them to succeed. for example: » documentation might be streamlined (or made electronic) to save time.
. Management must also ﬁght the sales peoples’ corner on a day to day basis. The productivity of every aspect of the activity should be borne in mind.KEY CONCEPTS AND THINKERS
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can be a ‘‘them and us’’ situation of some friction. anyway. with inside people perhaps not understanding what sales people who are out of the ofﬁce all day actually do. for example ‘‘conceptual selling. would you sell unstrategically? Action: to instill in sales people the concept of ‘‘customer ﬁrst. but as a basis for the style of sales technique adopted.’’ not just as an obvious service view. if possible. Other phrases have enjoyed some favor and emphasized the same point. If this is done and sales people themselves are made to believe that they are sincerely valued and respected. Customer orientation Selling is well deﬁned (by a character in a Video Arts training ﬁlm) as ‘‘helping people to buy. Sales productivity This is the concept of analysis and action to ‘‘squeeze a quart out of a pint pot. that selling (and managing selling) is important and further that it deserves acknowledgement and should be accorded a high status. at least in their own organization. Action: sales management has a key task to create a belief. and be seen to do so.’’ It focuses on the ratios involved (for example. The jargon of selling is rife with terms reﬂecting this: ‘‘beneﬁt selling’’ has become a generic term emphasizing the need to discover what people want and why and sell accordingly. the number of calls made/orders taken) and examines the whole sales process to see how much more can be got from the activity and to ensure that the way things are being undertaken is correctly based. Action: this is an area for ongoing management checking and.

managers and sales people alike need to focus on how this categorization is arranged and adapt regularly. so that every category is related within the best possible way. they are different in the way they must be dealt with to make the relationship work for both parties. Big customers are not just larger. potential. delivery (maybe to multiple locations. Action: this is a dynamic area. and more. training of customers’ staff . providing this is still effective and acceptable to customers). The major way in which this is recognized is in terms of size. Action: management must address the list of possible ‘‘proﬁt diluters. For example. . use of product. e. However this is addressed. location. quantity bought or when purchase is made). discounts (and there may be many a different basis for them. constantly almost. it may be that policy is at fault and proﬁt being lost because
. merchandising assistance. As customer demands. advertising and promotional support.76
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» territories and journey planning investigated to ensure it maximizes time spent with customers. Unless this is addressed carefully proﬁtability may well be in danger.’’ the policy involved and sales staffs’ attitudes and competence.g. credit terms (and beyond). the list goes on. and it may need to juggle size. Any company that analyses the costs of obtaining business may be shocked at just how many things seemingly conspire to reduce margin. more and more margin is vulnerable to being eaten up in just getting the business. Customer categorization Customers are not all the same. . industry or type. labeling. These include: all the costs of the sales force (from recruitment to commission). special packing. every customer must be provided with the right service and the right sales resource and approach. Customer proﬁtability This has come to be more important as customers have polarized and the big have got bigger. and » sales technique structured to be productive as well as effective (perhaps aiming for meetings that are shorter in duration. or services offered (or both) extend. level of technicality . . .

Of course. They do buy.
. although there is plenty written about selling. But buyers do not now buy (if they ever did) just because they like people. who it is not an exaggeration to describe as the father of motivational theory. Relationships need to reﬂect customer requirements and have as much in common with service as sales. but that sales people are losing out due to poor negotiating skills. and for many the term CRM is synonymous with electronic records and prompt systems. As with so much else the key here is clear – it is the customer. His views of how motivation works also make a very practical foundation to creating positive motivation and making it work. see Chapter 4 The E-Dimension. Action: the manager must make clear what is being aimed at here. or that policy is right. The electronic revolution has locked into this area. the American psychologist Frederick Herzberg. the personal rapport between buyer and seller (sales person) is important here. albeit some of it in a much more evangelical style than is used for the discussion of other business skills. Sales management Frederick Herzberg One task relates very speciﬁcally to the work of one man.KEY CONCEPTS AND THINKERS
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published terms need attention. Customer relationship Every customer and supplier by deﬁnition presupposes a relationship. not least the polarization of customer size (see above) have highlighted this and moved it from something that was taken for granted to something that should be planned. from the one who they feel goes about the process in the most acceptable and useful (and perhaps even the nicest) way. there have been few major sales management gurus. KEY THINKERS Management gurus abound. when their requirements are met by several potential suppliers. A variety of factors. however. are worth mentioning. The following. It is perhaps a reﬂection of the comments above about the proﬁle of sales that.

Herzberg’s own books are now rather old and perhaps do not make good. bureaucratic forms and reports for which they see no purpose). turning on the heater. Motivating is a continuous. painting the glass to reﬂect the sun. a well-motivated team will always focus better on the job and perform better as a result. The workings of his
. Just as the plants in a greenhouse can be inﬂuenced by many factors that affect temperature. These are more personal and can be listed as: » » » » » » Achievement Recognition The work itself Responsibility Advancement Growth.78
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Brieﬂy. he described two categories of factor affecting peoples’ motivation: ﬁrst. practical references in the modern world. sales people feel they are being asked to complete endless. Secondly.
All these are external factors. very valuable. It is. however. opening doors or windows. the satisﬁers (or motivators) that act to create positive motivation. then positive motivation is quickly diluted. and a phrase that is often used in this context is motivational climate. Managers should never underestimate the time and effort involved in getting things right here. so motivation can be inﬂuenced in many different ways.g. If there are problems here (e. It is a topic worth more study. The balance of factors is what matters. the dissatisﬁers (or hygiene factors) listed as: » » » » » » » » Company policy and administration Supervision Working conditions Salary Relationships with peers Personal life (and the impact of work on it) Status Security.
A good analogy here is a glasshouse. When things suit in these areas – all will be well motivationally. time consuming process and attention to detail is vital.

Some. Kogan Page. Probably best known for their surveys – one of which looks at trends in training methods – their Sales Force Compensation Survey is an annual publication that is the prime reference in its area. like Richard Denny who runs Leadership Development now operate in similar ways (his book. and shows the perennial nature of much to do with selling. Selling to Win. His book Winning Sales is still worth reading. a research technique for observing and quantifying interactions between buyer and seller. Using behavior analysis. It is better known for its trademark.
. Today the Dartnell Corporation still occupies the role of sales management guru. the ﬁgures may apply to the USA. that is Huthwaite Research Group Limited. Key amongst them was questioning. Starting in the early seventies they applied new techniques to the observation of selling. The main focus of their studies was on: » how people buy and weigh up competitive offerings to help them make considered decisions. though it is worth recalling people such as Heinz Goldmann whose sales and sales management seminars pulled hundreds of delegates over many years. but the most inﬂuential forces are rather different in nature.KEY CONCEPTS AND THINKERS
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theories and ideas on motivating successfully are explored in my own book How to Motivate People (Kogan Page/The Sunday Times). it highlighted the interactive skills that seemed to best create successful sales. Dartnell The Dartnell Salesmanagers Handbook was the earliest reference of any substance on the subject. Huthwaite Research Group Without doubt one organization has added a whole new dimension to the way sales and selling are viewed. SPIN and the approach to selling this implies. and thus to the practice of sales management. Sales Many early exponents are now no longer the benchmark for sales excellence. has a very personal style). but many people would ﬁnd the commentary and conclusions are worth a look.

research. that buyers tend to have to being sold to. » qualities that buyers regard as making a case (verbally or in writing) attractive. Though many would suggest that the Huthwaite research highlighted. as is sometimes imagined. They offered training with sales techniques recommended by and matched to their studies. The key to the approach is customer focus. Their job is not to lay down the law. and validated by. The fact that their views were based on. If sales people ﬁnd out about a customer. at least in part. was novel – they might say unique. how they operate and what their expectations are of their suppliers and those that represent them. The concept of the sales professional and of the sales person as advisor is also key to the approach.80
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» reactions. literally thousands of interviews and observations of real sales meetings. but everything about selling that builds in these kind of approaches (wherever they come from) tends to work best in the real world. and » the style of selling approach that appeared to be best regarded. In any case it was a key factor in helping make sales a profession. negotiation. how they think. Key therefore is the concept of discovering. Once selling was regarded as something ‘‘you did to people. and their base of sales training has expanded to a full range of topics. This may seem less than novel now. persuasive and credible. approaches that were either common sense or which had been documented by others. their success in promoting their ideas certainly gave prominence to a very practical and logical way of looking at selling. they will more precisely be able to focus their sales approach. major account strategies and sales management. Rather it is to give sales
. setting out the way in which selling should take place. particularly negative ones.’’ now it is predominantly seen as a process of helping and working with the psychological process by which people make decisions to buy. what they need. If selling is not. account management. including sales. a matter that can be applied largely by rote – and it is not – then the implications for the sales manager are clear. exactly what is happening on the customer’s side of the discussion. through very speciﬁcally applied questioning techniques (this is where the patented SPIN technique comes in).

Walker. which is an excellent reference to all the essential tasks and how to undertake them. videos and PowerPoint presentations. Ford. Link: www. This is the best of the major works on the subject. sixth edition. Its author. Johnston and Tanner: Irwin McGraw-Hill. Recruiting and Selecting Successful Salesmen and Motivating your Sales Force. cases. All are published by the same publisher. based on customer practice and expectations. has also written extensively. Prompted by this book. This is a practical workbook.KEY CONCEPTS AND THINKERS
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people the understanding of the approach that must be taken. His books: Making Major Sales Account Strategy for Major Sales The Management of Major Sales (written with Richard Ruff) Getting Partnering Right are all useful. It has cases and examples aplenty and links to a Website where there are exercises. » Sales Force Management : Churchill. of Huthwaite Research. but your choice is very much a matter of taste as their content does not vary as much as their style and treatment. in more than 700 pages every conceivable aspect of sales management is touched on to some extent.
. and the conﬁdence to do it in their own way – and in a way that is always tailored to individual customers. A recent paperback that provides a clear review of all the basics. » Successful Sales Management: Grant Stewart: Prentice Hall.mhhe. Wilson: Gower Publishing. Other books The practical nature of sales management means that there is a profusion of books.com/business/marketing/salesmanagement » Managing a Sales Force: Michael T. referred to elsewhere. The following are chosen as a good cross section and to illustrate different options. other titles came from the Marketing Improvements Group encapsulating their approach to some of the topics in more detail: these included – Training Salesmen on the Job. Neil Rackham.

The book was written when the author was a tutor on sales management at Ashridge Management College. draws on Managing a Sales Force above.82
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once a member of the Marketing Improvements team.
. » Sales Management: Theory and Practice: B Donaldson: MacMillan Publishers.

09
.Resources
If further investigation is necessary. It sets out sources of reference looking at sales management in a number of different ways. this section will help. » » » » Research Journals Using training ﬁlms Professional bodies
04.10.

’’ listed here are sources of ideas. The dynamic nature of this area is evidenced by the uncertainty respondents reﬂected in their forecasts of the other inﬂuences that are becoming important.
. with books dealt with in the previous section ‘‘Concepts and Thinkers. So we start with research.84
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‘‘A little knowledge that acts is worth inﬁnitely more than much knowledge that is idle. So. impersonal buying. and will continue to have. demanding and sharp in their dealings with sales people (with the Internet being used to a signiﬁcant extent for pre-buying research). » recruitment is a perpetual challenge as is retention.’’ Kahlil Gibran What external resources can add power to the sales manager’s arm? The following are necessarily a disparate group and no attempt is made to reduce them to neat categories. more so because the area is rarely researched. an effect on sales activity: most dramatically it is replacing sales people with electronic. RESEARCH The Future of Selling is a report published late in 2000 by Quest Media Ltd (the publishers of the journal Winning Business) in association with the Institute of Professional Selling and consultants Miller Heinman Inc. rewarded and managed. customer expectations and beliefs. Key ﬁndings indicated that: » customers are becoming better informed and more organized. and creating a more formal basis for them. though this is not affecting large numbers of business areas. It reviews current practice and looks to the future examining: the changing sales role. This is an interesting research study. and the whole way sales teams are organized. A key issue throughout this work has been the question of deﬁning the sales job realistically and usefully. information and inspiration varying from ﬁlms to professional institutes and web sites. » technology is having. staffed. » CRM is becoming a more widespread basis for many customer interactions.

sales managers are often not involved in the development of e-business strategies. there is one area where sales managers seem sometimes to be marginalized. Just to quote one statistic. or the baby might just get thrown out with the bath water. This is in respect of new technology. An e-business strategy that is not made compatible with traditional sales processes may lack realism. The section of the report on the impact of e-commerce is interesting. and the range of ways in which it is done are also increasing) as the level of competency of sales people is seen as key to success. It is a valuable study that deserves to be repeated on a regular basis.RESOURCES
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» training remains a constant need (and more of it is being done.quest-media. heighten the role and managerial skills sales managers must have. it is perhaps best done in this area with the sales manager’s active involvement. Sales Director – www. this despite the increasing computerization of data collection and reporting systems.co. It is the only substantial mainstream journal published for sales managers and directors in the UK and is produced in association with The Institute of Professional Sales. Sales management. Link: as ‘‘Winning Business’’ below. For example. 90% of respondents’ organizations have a Website. and the broadening of sales people’s responsibilities in response to market changes. On the one hand the increasing professionalism of the sales role.com This is a good magazine that ranges wide across sales and sales management issues. On the other hand. There are dangers here.uk This is also useful and has very much the style and format of something like the journal Management Today. but 57% of them said they were not used to assist sales. JOURNALS Winning Business – www. and » reporting takes a high proportion of working time – reducing sales people’s time spent face to face with customers. its practice. While technology and its development are always difﬁcult to predict. manner and style.
.saleszone. is seen as signiﬁcant to success.

often a number of ﬁlms come at a subject in different ways keeping it fresh and avoiding repetition. but it seems to think marketing is more sexy and positions itself ‘‘higher.com The boxed paragraph which follows (adapted from Developing Your Staff.
. Its base is sales. which beneﬁts from some care and preparation. It may be useful to request regular information from ﬁlm producers to keep up to date with what is available.86
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Sales & Marketing Management – www. but it is worth bearing in mind that.salesandmarketing. marketing journals feature articles on selling and sales management from time to time. as selling is an essential part of the marketing mix.’’ All the above are speciﬁc. The Library at the Chartered Institute of Marketing will produce lists of recent articles on request. Patrick Forsyth. Most are available for purchase or rental. broader than solely sales management and containing useful material. Though actor John Cleese has not been involved in any substantial way for a while.com The main US magazine on the subject. Sales & Marketing Professional This is the journal linked to the Institute of Sales & Marketing Management. and the Video Arts Group – producing what will probably be forever known as the ‘‘John Cleese Films’’ – is a predominant producer.videoarts. Somehow this has always remained in the shadow of the main institutes. www. Kogan Page) is included to provide a little advice on ﬁlm use. They also distribute various American products and have a range of e-learning products involving everything from CD-ROMs to DVDs available. their own – almost always humorous – ﬁlms are the core of their range. though there is a charge to non-members. Such ﬁlms are worth using in a variety of settings – courses. FILMS Training ﬁlms have traditionally been a good way to introduce or reinforce messages about sales technique. conferences or sales meetings – and a good way to revisit and reinforce topics.

a minimum standard is probably necessary.07). real people ﬁlmed doing real things. this too may dilute its effectiveness. clear points and is a valuable training resource (see chapter 01. If it allows humor to submerge the message. So. and » the message: how the ﬁlm puts over its message is vital. what not to do. one of my own ‘‘most-used’’ ﬁlms consists of live action. If it tries to do too much in a short time for instance. it may not succeed. you will want to be able to assess it – is it any good? – is it suitable for your people? Consider: » the provider: to some degree the standard (and style) of what you will get can be gauged by the company producing or distributing the ﬁlm although even ﬁlms from the big. If there is a ﬁlm that seems suitable. There are not so many providers and it does not take long to check catalogs and Websites or to telephone ofﬁces and check what is available. Films should not be regarded as an easy option: just drag people together. wellknown operators may vary a little in standard. Not least does its style match your circumstances? Will your people be able to identify with characters and circumstances in the ﬁlm? Does the message match the kind of way the topic needs to be dealt with in your organization?
. this is a good ﬁrst measure.RESOURCES
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Using training ﬁlms First. with no script or expensive production values – but it makes some good.10. how do you get the most from training ﬁlms? Selecting the right ﬁlm Let us assume that the topic is decided. stick on a ﬁlm and say – look and listen. » the ﬁlm quality: given the standard of what people are used to seeing in the cinema and on television. You know that you want people to develop a certain skill and want to ﬁnd a ﬁlm on that subject. Though this is not to say that simpler things cannot be useful.

» spark discussion. » make notes of anything you need to mention. emphasize or explain to the group. shortened or otherwise amended. You need to plan to use not just a ﬁlm. albeit this can sometimes be a short one. Most providers have systems for previewing that work well and the time this takes. more often they are most effective when incorporated into a session. The ﬁlm should help you meet your training objectives and it should be clear how it will do so and what role it will play (and this needs to be made clear too to the group). You can usefully plan ﬁlm use speciﬁcally and systematically following something like the following sequence: » always watch the ﬁlm through yourself ahead of the session. they may help clarify exactly why a ﬁlm is being used – the role it will play. » crack through the core content.88
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You can get some advice from catalogs or recommendations from colleagues. » read the accompanying material. At the very least they need topping and tailing. their suggestions for sessions can be changed. But they can be useful. the essential principles of something. Usually a ﬁlm is supplied with training notes. Using the ﬁlm The ﬁrst thing to note is that using a training ﬁlm is not an opportunity to train without effort. but a suitable ﬁlm. a booklet or guide to its use. and even the small cost sometimes involved.
. They do not need to be followed slavishly. is worthwhile. Whatever you do it must be clear. lengthened. » summarize key issues. Most ﬁlms are not designed to do a complete job unsupported. but there is no substitute for seeing for yourself. These should always be studied. This can vary. and » link to a particular internal situation. It may be to: » introduce a topic. For example.

You may want to dim the lights. Stop/start use As an example of method linked to the form of a ﬁlm. allow both aspects to be reviewed or discussed. or have a separate summary section at the end allowing you to return to key points at the end of a session. Note: certain ﬁlms are designed in a way that links to individual study (particularly those available on CD-ROM). . for example allowing individual members of a department to see the ﬁlm without the operational disruption of a group session. . By showing the ﬁlm in parts it can be alternated with discussion. for example extending the scenario or varying elements of it in discussion – what would have happened if that had not been the reaction when . » list ways in which the ﬁlm can link to participation or exercises. asking:
. Set things up so that everyone can see. Remember that some ﬁlms are designed to be seen in several parts. » Behaviorally based ﬁlms may allow more analysis of how people react.RESOURCES
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» decide how the training points made in the ﬁlm link to the totality of what you want to achieve. classically noting questions that the group should address. » Case study based ﬁlms allow one form of discussion. but not too much if people have to make notes. » The classic wrong way/right way ﬁlm style in which characters perform badly (exhibiting the dangers). subsequent solo study may sometimes work well from a time standpoint. learn lessons and then perform better (exhibiting the strengths of using correct technique). consider the good way/bad way ﬁlm further. It is worth thinking just a little about the physical use of a ﬁlm. or even allow links to be made to real people in your own company. and » link your thinking into your overall preparation of the whole session. While introduction and brieﬁng may still be necessary. The style of the ﬁlm will allow different forms of training to stem from it.

‘‘It is the only marketing body able to award Individual Chartered Marketer status to eligible members. » Career development services: which include a range of information in booklet form or downloadable from their Website.’’ In context here it is worth mentioning that CIM offer various services. a Career Advice Line (Tel: 01628 427322). ‘‘As an examining body for over 60 years.000 members worldwide. a Career Counseling service (run in collaboration with Connaught Executive via a network of 25 ofﬁces around the country: tel: 01628 427322 initially) and two routes for those seeking new jobs. As an overall summary they describe themselves thus: ‘‘The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is the professional body for marketing. it has been instrumental in elevating marketing to a recognised. Role play could be organized to extrapolate the situations portrayed in the ﬁlm with members of the group extending the ﬁlm characters’ roles. The ﬁrst is JobFocus accessed through the
. available through a worldwide network of educational institutions and distance learning providers. ‘‘Founded in 1911.uk This is listed ﬁrst as a prime source of reference.
PROFESSIONAL BODIES Chartered Institute of Marketing – www.90
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» what went wrong and why? » how could matters have been handled differently? » what are the principles involved to ensure success? Then the ‘‘right way’’ part can be shown and separate discussion can follow that. Chartered Marketer status is a professional standard which reﬂects an individual’s commitment to developing their professional skills in an increasingly competitive marketplace. the Institute’s Certiﬁcates and Postgraduate Diploma (DipM) are internationally recognised qualiﬁcations.cim. respected and chartered profession.co. with over 60.

co.
. It is a long established and well respected body (with something of a bias towards FMCG companies.co.uk/membership-net The library and information service. The Marketing Society – www. focusing solely on the sales function.com Note: while this is a source of value to all.uk Describes itself as.uk And CAM Foundation (Communication.camfoundation.org. ‘‘The premier organization in the UK for senior marketing professionals and general managers of marketing oriented companies.000). the second (for members only) is the Job Vacancy Database run with Quantum Consulting Group and accessed via: www. Advertising and Marketing) which is the umbrella body for qualiﬁcations across the various marketing disciplines – www.cim.be CIM Direct: a source of business books for purchase.
In addition the Institute is the parent body for the Institute of Sales Professionals. The qualiﬁcations they themselves offer. it has a quarterly journal Market Leader).’’ It states its purpose as: to provide access to the best network for the leading edge ideas and practice and to inspire and support Society members by encouraging debate and contact between them. and has its own Website: www.emc. you should note that some of the services listed above are available only to Members of the Institute. their Website is www.iops. which undertakes a parallel role to its parent.marketing-society. The network of branches: these mean no one is far from a local source of information and networking (there are a number of overseas branches also and the Institute links with the European Marketing Confederation with associate bodies in 24 countries within and outside the European Union (total membership is more than 300.RESOURCES
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» » »
»
Institute’s Website and is available to all.

are fundamental to making a success of the sales management job. keeping it fresh and ensuring it is well tailored every time a prospect or customer is seen. customers and competition. if sales people don’t have that. rather it emphasizes 10 areas all of which. We begin with an area that has a great deal stemming from one word. It is all too easy to get locked into a rather introspective (and. They must alternate between time spent with an individual customer and time spent preparing to see the next. It can be a rather relentless process. To enthuse the team in this way. and all the attendant detail. There is a necessary focus on the day to day activity. time and patience – after all. though there is some logic to the sequence.94
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‘‘Dealing with customers takes knowledge. and the preparation must lead to a precise tailoring of approach next time with every customer needing individual treatment. If the sales manager does not put over a clear vision. albeit in different ways. The wider scale of operations should inﬂuence the day to day. Seeing the full scope of what must be achieved will enliven performance and approach. 1. former CEO of Chrysler Motors This section is not a conventional summary. worse. They are not commented on in order of priority and. Sales people make one call at a time. In the other the focus is on the market. they should look for another line of work. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER MUST HAVE VISION One aspect of the sales job is also an inherent danger. This can become pedestrian. In one direction attention is necessary on their company and their products or services. repetitive) mode of operation where considered approaches are replaced by an ‘‘automatic pilot’’ style approach. then probably no one will do so. the manager must him or her self have:
. there is also some overlap. as well as being seen by customers as standard and losing their sympathy on those grounds alone. It does not simply reiterate the key tasks highlighted in the earlier section The state of the art.’’ Lee Iacocca.

and they need to do enough to give sufﬁcient ﬁrst hand feedback of customers’ demands.’’ All external contact is vital. but it is all too easy for a sales manager to become an administrator (in the worst sense of the word). And further. and will what they do be credible to the team? » With competitors. Bogged down in this way they tend to adopt an attitude that sales people should be entirely self sufﬁcient and leave them to ‘‘get on with it. technological change or with competitive organizations themselves and the way they work?
. and » An ongoing commitment to keeping this view up to date and an open mind to make it possible to do so. Or indeed with any outside agency that can provide information about how selling should be conducted in future. with a largely introspective view of their work. real involvement with marketing and senior management. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER MUST BE MARKET FOCUSED This may sound obvious. worthwhile and exciting intention.’’ What sort of team is that? But they need to keep their selling skills sharp.TEN STEPS TO MAKING SALES MANAGEMENT WORK
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» » » »
a clear overall and strategic view of the business. Only on the basis of experience and information so obtained will they be able to manage effectively. which should be focused on key issues. » With customers. time to spend at this level. Sales managers should not spend too much of their time selling. This is a process of constant questioning – what is happening elsewhere in terms of product development. it will put them in a position to undertake their day to day tasks well. 2. Making this view possible will not distract them from the day to day. expectations and views. they should not spend time selling in situations where they do so – perhaps with ‘‘difﬁcult’’ or ‘‘important’’ customers – because ‘‘no one else on the team is up to it.
Sales people will always work more effectively when they see their job in the context of a broad. the ability to encapsulate the current and future view of the way forward so that communicating it makes sense.

First. clarity in all these areas provides a sound foundation upon which a sales team can operate. the next area is clearly a prerequisite of success. the successful manager must:
. and » underpinned with suitable support. So.96
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All the methods of operation that managers must create and maintain in the sales area must be right externally – nothing must be done solely for internal convenience and ultimately it is the interface with the customer that is the arbiter of success. goals. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER HAS A TOP FLIGHT TEAM Recruitment and selection were commented on earlier. it is part of what makes life at the sharp end interesting. Nowhere is this more important than with targets. 3. standards and any mandatory operational procedures. 4. Additionally. quality control is poor or necessary sales aids are either not provided or inadequate. These must be: » soundly and realistically based. If orders are delivered late. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER MUST SET CLEAR GUIDELINES Sales people will never maximize their performance if they are not sure what they should be doing. the right product. sold and supported in the right way. Finding the right people is crucial and often not easy. then the challenge of targets will quickly turn into resentment of them. the sales manager who is seen to be clear and well organized about such things will always command most respect – and that in turn means more of their inﬂuence will be followed. No sales person will bust a gut trying to achieve something that is manifestly unachievable or silly. » challenging. Moving even closer to the actual management of the team. Everything from job descriptions to operational guidelines must be crystal clear. Even a smidgen of doubt is too much. This is not incompatible with ‘‘sound and realistic’’.

and to a degree experimentation. so a constant process of amendment. The evaluation. and a ﬁrm resolution not to resort to inappropriate.TEN STEPS TO MAKING SALES MANAGEMENT WORK
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» be clear about the proﬁle of person required. But it is time well spent. All this means a willingness to undertake any recruitment activity on a sound and thorough basis. They get involved in all sorts of things from promotion to general management duties. Then hire when you are sure and reject if you are not. certainly much longer than taking a little more time to make the right appointment. you get monkeys’’ is also a truism. a sales team has no place for passengers or ‘‘poor relations’’. many ways – from lost sales and muddled records to tarnished images and weakened customer relationships. people very rarely prove better than your hopes and a wrong decision in this area can be costly in many. Here we divide the tasks into two broad categories. and » link to. Skills must be created and maintained at a standard of excellence. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER SPENDS TIME WITH THEIR TEAM As a category. It takes time but attention to detail – good job advertisements. counseling. comprehensive application forms. Yet many – most – of the core sales management tasks demand that time is spent with the sales team. is necessary to ensure that selling is done in a way that matches individual customers and the moment. and sometimes ﬁght for. Further the precise way in which skills must be deployed changes. 5. mentoring and link with other development activities all take time. both individually and as a group. It is such a clich´ e but the phrase ‘‘if you pay peanuts. sales managers tend to have broad responsibilities. untested amateur psychology – is paramount at every stage. Such time is crucial to the ongoing direction of sales activity. It can take a long time to sort out the damage. » set high standards and stick with them. the ability to give the right rewards. painstaking interviewing. » A key role is development. Ultimately sales
. and links back to clarity about such things as job descriptions.

» The second area worth highlighting is communications. Motivation needs: » consideration: unthinking or routine management will miss opportunities. remember that what is important to you may not be the same as what is important to your staff). or. and » tailoring: just as selling must be matched to customers. so motivation must be matched to the kind of sales team involved – even to the individuals. it is to enable the sales person to improve all those calls when they operate alone. » variety: the changes need ringing. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER ACTIVELY MOTIVATES Fact: the sales force is more likely to perform well when they are well motivated. to help the team do this.000 calls each year – management’s job is to create excellence in them all. Time spent on joint calling is not to improve those few calls on which this happens.98
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people must be almost entirely self-sufﬁcient. Certainly it is important for the manager not to be censorious (i. Saying ‘‘Well done’’ is as important as the many more complex things that are also needed (and. enough said. » to be ongoing: motivation is best delivered through the whole management job. Apart from the development job mentioned above. Even a small team of say 10 people may be making some 10. 6. not in little ‘‘motivational bursts’’ arranged to get it out of the way and free up time for more important things. communication should take a major part of a sales manager’s time. perhaps more accurately. There is no way the manager can be with everybody on their every call. » time: and this must not be skimped. All the various activities that contribute to this process are key. The numbers back this up. different things doing at different times and for different people. They will only be well motivated if attention is given to this on a regular basis. ask yourself – have I said ‘‘Well done’’ often enough lately?). It is not a matter of throwing money at it.
.e. This is re-visited as point 7. or having a complex incentive scheme and believing no more needs to be done.

» Understandable: this means a little more than just clear. 7. or perhaps not so simply. but they are important – and often their effectiveness is low. It is not. not assuming they know more than they do. Tell people what is going on and how it affects them. indeed often we think that communication is easy. » Not secretive: this may seem either a minor point or to go without saying. the skills of selling applied internally. As such sales managers should be good at this. certainly communicating well needs care. » Persuasive: often it is not just a question of telling people – we need to persuade. » Sales meetings: the opportunity to get the team together may be infrequent. Particular activities here include the following. Sometimes they cause a momentary hiccup. but the isolation of sales people mean any apparent unnecessary secretiveness is likely to be strongly resented. interesting – fun – they will work harder. Motivation. though again this will not happen automatically. If people see their job as important. The old rule of ‘‘engaging the brain before the mouth’’ makes sense for us all. Errors often occur in an unthinking rush. Things must be put in the right frame of reference for people.TEN STEPS TO MAKING SALES MANAGEMENT WORK
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Motivation matters. The main problem is overconﬁdence. these represent a signiﬁcant opportunity to inform and
. above. Most of what needs doing costs little beyond some thought and some time. and more constructively and it will show in their results. consideration and time. This is simply. The wrong word is chosen or the right word omitted. everyone thinks they are a good communicator. There are principles here worthy of study. for example. Communication must be: » Clear: consider just how often communications problems occur in organizations. on other occasions breakdown is the word that describes things best and serious consequences can result. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER IS A GOOD COMMUNICATOR Communication is ubiquitous to management. consists largely of communication. or that they have experience which in fact they do not.

and again takes time.’’ » Appraisal : formal appraisal is mentioned as an example of something that combines a number of elements: evaluation. where a great deal of development work can be conducted quickly and easily with the whole group together. The process of deﬁning what must be done. » Motivation: in all its forms. provides the oil that lubricates the whole sales management process and with it the sales activity that it prompts. A series of activities contribute to this: » ﬁeld training: the whole process of working with people in the ﬁeld – evaluating. and something I often hear on sales courses. and you will be able to think of many other examples of how it is used and how it is important. motivation. ﬁnding them constructive and this should. making sure that every member of the team can operate as required and putting them in a position to evaluate and ﬁne-tune their own performance is vital. as a major example of where a sales manager must spend signiﬁcant time. a matter of detail. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER CREATES SALES EXCELLENCE The question of development has already been mentioned. It is clearly wrong.100
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encourage. 8. » sales meetings: mentioned above.
. keeping that up to date. Sales people should look forward to their appraisals. They deserve time being spent in preparation to get them right. when a sales person says: ‘‘The only time I ever see my manager is when something is wrong. but so too are the small exchanges that make up the continuity of contact between the sales manager and his team. foster an overall constructive and productive management/sales relationship. in turn. Again this seems too often to be skimped. in Number 5 above. Communication. The essence of this is that it is ongoing. The right incentive scheme may be important. planning and more. counseling and generally working with people to help ﬁne-tune performance.

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» formal training: including e-learning and other alternatives to ‘‘classroom training’’. This needs to be entirely job and organization speciﬁc. and a whole series of other inputs. already mentioned. have a very direct link with development. For instance the following comes from McCormack on Selling. indeed desirable. all contribute. the American sports marketing consultant and commentator: ‘‘The qualities that I believe make a good salesman: – believe in your product – believe in yourself – see a lot of people – pay attention to timing – listen to the customer – but realize that what the customer wants is not necessarily what he or she is telling you – develop a sense of humor – knock on old doors – ask everyone to buy – follow up after the sale with the same aggressiveness you demonstrated before the sale – use common sense ‘‘I have no illusions that I’m breaking new ground with this list. with the job clearly in mind. but general overviews can be helpful here too. A sales team that recognize they need to learn and want to move their expertise ahead is always going to have the edge on people who think they know it all and see selling as something to be applied by rote. The above. self-evident.
. the book written by Mark McCormack. It is an ongoing process and the ﬁrst step to making it work is clear deﬁnition of the sales job. and » appraisals: formal appraisal systems. These are essential. universal qualities that all sales people know in their heads – if not in their hearts. necessary. the team must be persuaded that development is natural.’’ Secondly. from having lunch with a sales person and talking shop to devices such as audio or video newsletters. not an affront to their competence – and thus be made acceptable.

and nothing demotivates sales people more than managers who acknowledge situations. Being ahead of the trend may be a factor that helps create differentiation between you and competitors. promise to sort it out – and then do nothing. is dynamic. Certainly small reﬁnements in selling approach may be able to inﬂuence sales results signiﬁcantly. If management is regarded. perhaps somewhat simplistically. A quotation from management writers Robert Kriegal and David Brant puts it powerfully: ‘‘When you’re through changing. Change is the order of the day. to experiment (perhaps to make a few mistakes along the way) but one way or another to take if necessary radical or less obvious options if that is what will produce the desired effect. Essentially it necessitates: » recognition of change: in all aspects of the job there is a duty to watch out for changes which impinge on you and opportunities to change for the better – better still to anticipate change. perhaps to the way the sales activity is organized. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER INNOVATES It cannot be said too often that sales. It is as important in a sense to make changes simply to update a reporting system (something that might improve productivity – less time to complete – and the precision of information gathering).’’ This is a philosophy any sales manager (any manager?) must take on board. as organizing people and their activities. Good sales managers do not spend their life sitting on the fence. not a destination. » an open mind: a willingness to review the options. 10. indeed marketing of which it is a part. as it is to make radical changes.102
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9.
. you’re through. then leadership is inspiring and driving them. and » decisiveness: decisions need to be made. THE SUCCESSFUL SALES MANAGER ACTIVELY LEADS Leadership goes beyond simple management. Change is a process. not a goal. This applies to every aspect of sales management. a journey.

He said in his book McCormack on Selling: ‘‘I’ve never bought anything from sales people who didn’t know their product and yet I have bought things I didn’t know I needed from people who did. Selling is. and must. Kouzes and Barry Z. make a difference ensuring that sales is working effectively. from the sum total of the management tasks reviewed here being well executed. is different from management. as has been said. giving time. Posner Jossey Bass Wiley) ‘‘Leadership. When this is done it makes a difference in the marketplace. meeting by meeting. day by day. Customers are demanding and ﬁckle. the American sports marketing consultant. leadership is doing the right things. and that is the only source of all revenue and proﬁt.’’ Leadership comes.’’ Good sales people make the difference. A good sales manager. Management can. good managers create sales excellence.’’ Or. Success here has effects inside and outside the organization. James M. in part at least. If there is a less deﬁnable ‘‘spark’’ beyond that which marks out those with leadership qualities then it is perhaps simply that they care: about what they do. many have said. consideration and attention to detail to the tasks they must address will ﬁnd themselves leading. Management is mostly about ‘to do’ lists – can’t live without them! Leadership is about tapping the wellsprings of human motivation – and about the fundamental relations with one’s fellows.TEN STEPS TO MAKING SALES MANAGEMENT WORK
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As management guru Tom Peters said (in a Foreword to The Leadership Challenge. above all. about their people.
. as Peter Drucker put it succinctly and much earlier: ‘‘Management is doing things right. about their organization and making it successful – and. The right approach – precisely the right approach – must be deployed customer by customer. dynamic. From that thought a ﬁnal note on which to end is struck by quoting Mark McCormack.

The state of the art – control. The state of the art. What is sales management?. Q2: What are the key tasks sales management must address? A: See Chapter 6. Q5: What standards should I set? A: See Chapter 6. affecting sales
Q4: How did sales management come to its present state? A: See Chapter 4.
. The evolution of sales management. Q6: What changes should I anticipate in the role? A: See Chapter 9. Resources – the future of selling.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the core role of sales management? A: See Chapter 1. The e-dimension. Q3: How is modern technology management? A: See Chapter 4.

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Q7: How do you maximize the effectiveness of sales management? A: See Chapter 7. In practice – good ideas. Q9: How do I ﬁnd out more and keep up to date? A: See Chapter 9. Ten steps to making sales management work. Q10: What are the priority approaches for a successful sales manager? A: See Chapter 10. In practice. Resources. Q8: How does a sales manager need to think about their tasks and priorities to make a real difference? A: See Chapter 7.

Acknowledgments
I can claim no credit for the origination of the unique format of the series of which this work is a part. So thanks are due to those at Capstone who did so. and his personal encouragement to me. Patrick Forsyth Touchstone Training & Consultancy 28 Saltcote Maltings Maldon Essex United Kingdom
. He created a unique and stimulating working environment without which I would never have got involved in marketing in the way that I have done. played a large part in my writing – now on a variety of marketing and management matters. The example of his own writing. I am pleased to acknowledge his agreement to allow me to plunder the ideas and thinking in his book Managing a Sales Force (Gower) in working on this one. I would like also to thank Mike Wilson. of which I was a Director before setting up my own organization. Speciﬁcally. founder of the consultancy and training group Marketing Improvements. and for the opportunity they provided for me to play a small part in so signiﬁcant and novel a publishing project.